Get In My Belly – Spain Food Highlights

I have had the opportunity to spend a lot of time in Spain over my lifetime. I went there for 3 weeks on an exchange in grade 10 and fell head over heals for this country. After that, I returned to work as an ESL teacher in camps around Spain for my summers in college. Over my multiple months I’ve spent in Spain, I have had the privilege of trying so many delicious, traditional foods. Check out some of my highlights from my past trips below.

Churros
Fried dough pastry served in cafes with warm chocolate to dip it in.

Sangria
Nothing beats a cheap jug of sangria in Spain. Consisting of wine, fruit, a small amount of brandy and sugar.

Paella
My favourite Spanish food, a flavourful rice dish, paella. You can get this basically everywhere and different types of it, but my favourite is the traditional seafood one as pictured below in Barcelona.

Tapas
The best part of Spain is the tapa bars. Go to a bar and order a drink, and get free, delicious snacks! Try the potatas braves, one of my personal favs.

Calimocho
Another delicious, traditional drink and it’s very easy to make even at home. Red wine and coca cola. Don’t ask why this is so good, but it is!

Ham
The Spanish are obsessed with their ham, and once you try it you’ll know why. This isn’t the type of ham you’d pick up in a deli in Canada, it is absolutely delicious and flavourful. Eat it with some cheese and breadsticks and you’ll be in meat heaven.

Coquinas
Only really seen mainly in the south of Spain. These little shells that you open up and eat the meat inside (similar to clams) are delicious. Often marinated in oils, and seasoning that makes eating a giant bowl of these easy. I first tried them when I was a picky eater and didn’t like any kind of seafood. I was pleasantly surprised how addictive these were.