Spain
History, Geography, & Cuisine
Guided Notes
Where is Spain Location?
Southwestern corner of ______
The Iberian Peninsula; Between the ______Sea and the ______Ocean.
Spain and Portugal share the peninsula. Right Below France.
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.
The ______Mountains separate Spain from France and the rest of Europe.
The Meseta is a large plateau surrounded by mountain ranges.
Tagus River stretches from Madrid to Atlantic; dams & hydroelectric stations create drinking water and power
Two well know cities are ______& ______
Wide range of ______
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.)
Spanish Culture
Culinary regions
______- staccato dancing, castanets, hand clapping and passionate guitar picking
BULLFIGHTING-______slaughter bulls in balletlike rituals dating back hundreds of years
Running of the Bulls in Pamplona every July
Spain Cuisine-History
The ______ruled for 6 centuries
Contributed olive oil and garlic
The ______(from Africa)
brought citrus fruit, peaches, and figs; Muslim influence; cultivation of rice; Grew spices, including saffron, pepper, nutmeg, and anise. Planted large almond groves and often used almonds in cooking.
In the New World, ______1492 brought tomatoes, vanilla, chocolate, potatoes, and sweet and hot peppers.
Democratic since 1975; 75% Catholic
MEAL PATTERNS
El ______- 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.
CAFÉ
______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
La ______- Lunch
Typically largest meal in Spain; Many restaurants offer their “menus” during the comida.
Set menu choice: 1 appetizer, 1 main course, bread, a drink, dessert
LA MERIENDA- late afternoon snack
Hold you over until late dinner, Small sandwich, piece of fruit, or hot beverage
LA______–Dinner
9:00-10:30 evening
Summer, evening, and weekends time is pushed later…midnight
Light meal like salad or sandwich
Spanish Eating Customs
SOMBREMESA
SIESTA
WINE
TAPAS
Spanish cuisine
Herbs & Spices
-______- Stigma from the crocus flower; Most expensive spice in world; Bitter taste; hay-like smell
-______- Ground red chili peppers with a smoky flavor
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
______garlic mayonnaise
IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS
BOMBA RICE- ______
Marcona Almonds
Capers- pickled bud of caper plant
______Cheese- blue cheese, aged 2-6 months in mountain caves
Manchego cheese- milk of sheep aged 3 months
SEAFOOD- Mussels, shrimp, & crab; Tuna, hake sole, squid, & cod
MEAT- Veal, lamb, pork, chicken, (pigeon, pheasant, & partridge
______Sausage- dry cured pork sausage that has a spicy smoke flavor
Most preferred sausage in Spain
______Made from native pigs; black hooves; 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
Spanish Dishes
______
•Stew that features wide variety of meats
•Always contains rice, olive oil, & saffron
•Uses a paella dish called Paelleras
TORTILLA de PATATAS
•______with fried potatoes
______
•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
______- white bean & sausage stew from Northern coast; Commonly eaten at lunch
GAZPACHO- cold, uncooked ______soup
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
______rather than bake because most homes didn’t have ______until recent years
______- custard
Made with whole eggs & milk with a caramel coating
CHURROS-
DRINKS
RIOJAS-red, white, or rose ______
Northern part of Spain produces some of the best Tempranillo wines
______- wine punch
Red wine mixed with fruit juice & other ingredients