Spain manages to pack a lot of great food traditions inside its borders, and while some dishes are ubiquitous, many have specific regions of origin. Circling Spain’s regional map is a bit like flipping through a Spanish cookbook.
Andalusia
Situated along Spain’s southern coast, the menu is seafood-heavy. Various types of fried fish are common. Tapas, those little plates paired with drinks, originated here. Chilled and fresh, the tomato-based gazpacho is not to be missed, along with its slightly thicker Cordoban cousin, salmorejo, garnished with Serrano ham and hardboiled egg. And speaking of ham, in the mountains of Huelva and Cordoba, a special breed of pig raised on a diet of acorns is used to produce the dry-cured jamón Ibérico, the finest of the hams. For a fresh cut, seek out the Secreto Ibérico, a thin, marbled, remarkably tender cut taken from between the shoulder blade and loin of these famous pigs.
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