1. History, Geography, and Climate
Spain
History, Geography, and Climate

3. Location The Iberian Peninsula
Between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
Southwestern corner of Europe. Spain and Portugal share the peninsula.
Right Below France.
Location

4. Features Two main features are water and mountains.
Water nearly surrounds the peninsula.
Most of Spaniards live along the coast of the Bay of Biscay and the Mediterranean Sea.
The land is fertile and agriculture is prosperous.
Features

5. The Pyrenees Mountains separate Spain from France and the rest of Europe.
Four other mountain rangers divide the rest of the land into isolated units.
The Meseta is a large plateau surrounded by mountain ranges. (Occupies more than half of the total area of Spain)
Tagus River stretches from Madrid to Atlantic; dams & hydroelectric stations create drinking water and power
Features

7. Madrid Capital and largest city of Spain.
Population is roughly 3.3 million.
The most touristic city of Spain.
Located on the Manzanares river in the center of the country.
Madrid

8. Barcelona Major city- second largest city
One of the world’s leading tourist, economic and cultural centers.
Located on the northeast coast of the Iberian Peninsula, facing the Mediterranean Sea.
Barcelona

9. Climate Wide range of climates.
Much of Spain has Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers, mild winters, & light rainfall.
Northern Spain -Cool summers with mild, damp winters
The Meseta Extremes of both heat and cold)
The Southernmost Tip (Semi-Desert with virtually no winter.)
Climate

10. Spanish Culture

11. Culinary regions

12. FLAMENCO- staccato dancing, castanets, hand clapping and passionate guitar picking
BULLFIGHTING- matadors slaughter bulls in balletlike rituals dating back hundreds of years
Running of the Bulls in Pamplona every July

13. Spain Cuisine-History
The Romans ruled for 6 centuries
Christianity
Contributed olive oil and garlic
Still use these two ingredients in many dishes
Spain Cuisine-History

14. Cont. The Moors(from Africa) brought citrus fruit, peaches, and figs
Muslim influence
Also introduced the cultivation of rice.
Grew spices, including saffron, pepper, nutmeg, and anise.
Planted large almond groves and often used almonds in cooking.
Cont.

15. In the New World, Colombus 1492 brought tomatoes, vanilla, chocolate, potatoes, and sweet and hot peppers.
Democratic since 1975
75% Catholic
Cont.

16. MEAL PATTERNS

17. El desayuno- Breakfast
Before 10 am & often a lone cup of coffee.
Toast, croissants, or “pan tomaca”- a piece of toast with an oil and tomato spread.
On weekends or on holidays,
churros- slightly crisp fried dough- dunked in a mug of thick hot chocolate or topped with sugar is a Spanish specialty.
El desayuno- Breakfast

18. CAFÉ Coffee Between 10:30 – noon
Love of caffeine and social nature of Spaniards
Café solo- shot of expresso
Café cortado- expresso w/splash of milk
Café con leche-expresso w/equal milk
Café ameriano- expresso w/lots of water
CAFÉ

19. La comida- Lunch Typically largest meal in Spain
Many restaurants offer their “menus” during the comida.
Set menu choice
1 appetizer
1 main course and almost always bread
a drink
dessert
La comida- Lunch

20. LA MERIENDA- late afternoon snack
Hold you over until late dinner
Small sandwich, piece of fruit, or hot beverage
LA MERIENDA- late afternoon snack

21. LA CENA –Dinner 9:00-10:30 evening
Summer, evening, and weekends time is pushed later…midnight
Light meal like salad or sandwich
LA CENA –Dinner

22. Spanish Eating Customs
SOMBREMESA
“over the table” art of conversation after a meal
Savor other’s company, share a drink, stay for hours
SIESTA
After eating large mid-day meal farmworkers needed to rest & digest before going back to work the fields
Stores and businesses do close down and many people go home to eat the mid-day meal with their families
WINE
Typical to drink with meals
Spanish Eating Customs

23. Spanish Eating Customs
TAPAS- Art of snacking; appetizers
Travelling from bar to bar sharing plates of specialties with groups of friends
Designed to encourage conversations
Simple as olives or toasted almonds
can be hot or cold
Some take hours to prepare
Spanish Eating Customs

25. Spanish cuisine

26. Herbs & Spices saffron paprika Stigma from the crocus flower
Most expensive spice in world
Bitter taste; hay-like smell
Ground red chili peppers with a smoky flavor
Herbs & Spices

27. IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS
GARLIC SWEET ONIONS- tender, white, sweet spring onion OLIVES- cured and eaten, after pitted & stuffed; OLIVE OIL- Spain’s olives has the best properties for olive oil; virgin means no chemical treatment ALLIOLI- garlic mayonnaise
Used in almost every dish
IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS

28. IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS
BOMBA RICE
Short grain; expands in width
absorbs liquid better 3x volume
Grains remain separate and do not stick together
Used in Paella
IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS

29. IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS
Marcona Almonds
Capers- pickled bud of caper plant
Cabrales Cheese- blue cheese, aged 2-6 months in mountain caves
Manchego cheese- milk of sheep aged 3 months
IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS

30. IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS
SEAFOOD
Mussels, shrimp, & crab
Tuna, hake sole, squid, & cod
MEAT
Veal, lamb, pork, chicken, (pigeon, phesant, & partridge
CHORIZO
Sausage- dry cured pork sausage that has a spicy smoke flavor
Most preferred sausage in Spain
IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS

31. IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS HAM
Jamon Iberico
Jamon Serrano
Made from native pigs; black hoves
Graze free range on acorns & roots giving ham nutty taste
Curing process is a sacred art
Finest & most expensive ham in world
Cured ham goes thru salting, washing, settling, drying, and maturing
Color is pinkish with veins of fat
Cut by hand into thin slices
IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS HAM

33. DISHES Paella Stew that features wide variety of meats
Always contains rice, olive oil, & saffron
Uses a paella dish called Paelleras
DISHES

34. TORTILLA de PATATAS
Egg omelet with fried potatoes
DISHES

35. DISHES EMPANADAS Folding a dough or bread patty around the stuffing
Tuna, sardines or chorizo commonly used in a tomato puree, garlic, & onion sauce
Fried in olive oil or baked in oven
DISHES

36. SOUPS FABADA- white bean & sausage stew from Northern coast
Commonly eaten at lunch
GAZPACHO- cold, uncooked tomato soup
Use a mortar & pestle
SOUPS

37. DESSERTS Rice puddings, sponge cake, & Flan are popular
Fresh fruit, dried figs, cheese, or almonds
Cakes & Pastries
Little baking powder or butter
Lots of eggs & powdered almonds
Flavored with cinnamon, anise, & orange/lemon zest
Fry rather than bake
Most homes didn’t have ovens until recent years
DESSERTS

38. DESSERTS FLAN- custard
Made with whole eggs & milk with a caramel coating
CHURROS-
Fried-dough pastry based snacks
Normally eaten for breakfast dipped in hot chocolate
Sprinkled with sugar
DESSERTS

39. DRINKS RIOJAS-red, white, or rose wines
Northern part of Spain produces some of the best Tempranillo wines
SANGRIA- wine punch
Red wine mixed with fruit juice & other ingredients
DRINKS