200 kilometers away from Barcelona, there is a small bay with a pleasant view, with blue water and lush pine and cypresses surrounding a bungalow-style cottage, where the world-famous Spanish Michelin three-star restaurant “EL BULLt” is located. . The appearance of the restaurant is inconspicuous, but it has made amazing achievements: in 2002, 2006-2009, it was selected as the best restaurant in the world by the famous British culinary magazine “Restaurant” five times, becoming the leader in the world’s top 50 peers . The EL BULLI team, headed by Chef Ferran Adria, regards the opening every day as a stage debut, allowing each visitor to learn from every detail of the day’s dishes such as appearance, aroma, color and taste. Get a full enjoyment. The restaurant does not have an extensive menu, but the dozens of dishes are well-made, with a basic per capita consumption of 300 euros. The restaurant is only open for 6 months in the spring and summer each year. In the autumn, the team members moved to the workshop in Barcelona to study and discuss together under the leadership of Adria. New products to the extreme. In 2010, the restaurant EL BULLI, at its peak, announced that it would be closed for 3 years from July 2011, and was preparing to create a “Haute Cuisine” research center to take Spanish culinary skills to a higher level.
The origin of Spanish cuisine
EL BULLI Restaurant, which is at the forefront of pioneering culinary arts, would never have such a glorious day without the support of traditional rich ingredients and culinary skills, and without the addition of many foreign cultures. Wheat, seafood, and vegetables have been feeding the inhabitants of the peninsula long before the Romans came to the Iberian Peninsula: the centuries of Roman rule on the peninsula brought advanced food preservation techniques and promoted winemaking. At that time, wheat, cured ham, olive oil, etc. from the Iberian Peninsula had become the most popular ingredients in the entire Roman Empire. From AD 711, the Arabs began to occupy most of the Iberian Peninsula and continued to rule for nearly seven centuries. These newcomers brought citrus, rice and spices from the Middle East and North Africa: today’s Spanish desserts and confectionery use thousands of fruits such as almonds, which are heavily influenced by the Arabs; in addition, fruits, nuts and meat, fish Pairing with each other, as well as rice-based dishes, were culinary features of the period. In 1492, the Arabs finally left the land; after that, Columbus made many expeditions, and the New World on the other side of the Atlantic was discovered. The natural ingredients collected by the locals in large areas of the Americas, such as cocoa, potatoes, coffee, tomatoes, and peppers, were brought back to Europe by the Spaniards across the oceans and seas. Over time, these exotic elements from far-flung regions gradually integrated Introducing the local food culture and adding a new chapter to Spanish cuisine. Today, it is this idea of innovating and bringing forth new ideas, which drives Spanish chefs to explore the new world of food culture without stopping.
Spanish cuisine at a glance
Traditional dishes – assorted claypots and omelettes
The delicacies of all parts of Spain are like a five-color puzzle: barbecue in the central plateau, rice in the Valencia region in the southeast, fried food in Andalusia in the south… If you want to choose a dish that is shared throughout Spain, then Can only be the first to push “Assorted Pot”. While the flavors of this dish vary from place to place, there are three basic ingredients in it: pork, vegetables, and beans (chickpeas or kidney beans). Assorted pots need to be simmered over low heat, and skilled chefs will control the time just right; they are usually served in three plates: one for soup, one for meat, and the other for vegetables. Choose the best, the taste is especially strong. It is worth mentioning that there is a dish that can be called an authentic Spanish speciality, that is, “Spanish omelette”. This omelette differs from the OMELETTE in Western breakfasts in that it must have two other ingredients in addition to eggs: potatoes and Spanish olive oil, and sometimes onions. The round, thick, attractively coloured omelette can be eaten hot or cold, as a side dish or in bread, and can be found in any bar and restaurant in Spain. The aforementioned creative Spanish chef, Mr. Adria, used Derrida’s “deconstructionism” theory to deconstruct the potato omelette: he used a unique way to re-create several of the original elements of the omelet. Combine, and finally make an ice cream. When people pick up the glass and take a sip with a spoon, the taste buds still feel like a Spanish potato omelette.
Regional Cuisine
Spanish cuisine is largely composed of regional flavors, such as Valencia’s “paella”, Asturias’ “bacon with beans and bacon”, Andalusia’s “vegetable cold” Soup” and so on. Paella is perhaps Spain’s most iconic speciality, and has spread around the world, and this year’s Oscars dinner featured paella and slices of Iberico ham surrounded by stars. I saw a layer of translucent golden-yellow rice spread on the round shallow pan, covered with various seafood: shrimp, clams, squid, chicken nuggets, bright red tomatoes and green peas, and a little more. Garlic, onion, parsley and other spices make the paella full of flavor. The cold soup of southern Andalusia is prepared by crushing and stirring various ingredients such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, garlic, and bread cubes, and then adding appropriate amount of olive oil, vinegar and salt. It is usually served as the first dish; In the sweltering summer season, vegetable cold soup is undoubtedly an excellent product to cool off the heat.
Appetizers – Dapa An important branch of
Spanish cuisine is undoubtedly the appetizers in bars and restaurants around the world – “dapa”. These assorted small plates are usually served with beer or wine. Its origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages. Over the years, Dapa’s variety has grown, from a thin slice of cured ham or cheese, to dried fruit and pickled pickles, to today’s dazzling array of hot and cold dishes on the bar. Dapa is usually used as an appetizer before dinner. People choose Dapa in bars, not only to understand hunger, but also to use these casual drinks. Everyone in groups of three or five chat and laugh around the bar, so as to release the rest of the day. Mental stress, enjoy a moment of relaxation and good mood.
Eating customs
, three meals
a day, the Spanish have three meals a day, which is unique in terms of time arrangement. Breakfast is usually very simple: a glass of milk, coffee or juice, plus toast or colorful buns, many people often complete it in the gap time between work, that is, between 8:00-9:00. Lunch is generally held between 2:00-3:00 in the afternoon, and the amount is also large. Dinner is arranged at 9:00-10:00 in the evening. An ordinary meal consists of two dishes: the first is mainly vegetables, beans, or rice, pasta, and the second is basically meat or fish. Spanish lunches and dinners are always enjoyed with friends, family, colleagues or clients. After dinner, after eating fruit snacks, Spaniards still sit around the table, especially on weekends, everyone drinks coffee and chats. This is both a tradition and a way of savoring life.
Meal Etiquette
If at a friend’s house, bring a small gift for the host, such as wine, candy, pastries, or flowers. However, there should be a certain difference in dressing at home or in a hotel, dining with family or with corporate clients. For dinner at a friend’s house, it is generally allowed to arrive about 15 minutes late, but never arrive early – this often embarrassing the host: maybe they are still making the final preparations. If attending a formal dinner, guests must arrive on time.
Formal Dining Etiquette
The etiquette and customs of dining in formal occasions are stricter and vary from culture to culture, but Spain is basically not much different from other European countries. After everyone enters the restaurant, all couples should sit opposite each other on both sides of the table, instead of following our round table adjacency. When eating, place a napkin on your lap first. Western-style dining, before the dishes appear, a dazzling array of tableware has been unveiled. To handle these things correctly, you must first remember a basic formula: a fork in the left hand and a knife in the right. If there are several sets of utensils on the table at the same time, the fork of the first course is usually placed on the far left of the cutlery, and the knife of the first course is placed on the far right, in the order of serving, from outside to inside, one by one To be used for extraction, the last set of cutlery must be next to the plate, which is only needed when the snack is at the end of the meal. In addition, the cutlery is usually preceded by a ragged row of goblets, arranged from left to right in the following order: Spit glass (smallest), water glass (largest), red wine glass, self wine glass, and sparkling wine glass. When eating, if the soup served is very hot, do not stir it with a spoon, and do not blow with your mouth, let it cool down naturally before drinking it, and be careful not to suck it into your mouth when you drink the soup, and do not open your mouth when chewing Open, in short, when eating, can’t make any sound in the mouth. Taste the spaghetti, do not cut it, use a fork and a spoon to eat with each other. If a whole piece of meat is served, hold it firmly with a fork, and then cut it open with a knife, usually by cutting it into one piece and eating it. Some foods can be taken directly by hand, such as bread, appetizers and so on. Finally, it should be pointed out that the way the guest’s knives and forks are placed often conveys different information to the waiter: if you need to continue to eat, the knife and fork on the plate should be placed at an angle, with the fork tip facing down, the waiter sees After they arrive, they will not be removed; if the meal is over, the cutlery and fork should be placed side by side, with the fork facing up, and the waiter immediately understands that the cutlery can be removed.
Table manners may seem a bit fiddly, but overall they help create an atmosphere. Rich food, elegant manners, and the unique layout and decoration of each restaurant, you will gain both material and spiritual enjoyment when you are in the middle.
