In-Depth Semester Report_Report

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In-Depth Summer Report- Spain

Geography

Spain is mainly on the Iberian Peninsula in the Southwest corner of Europe. Covers about 506,030 square

kilometers. Influenced by the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. There are currently 17

autonomous communities and 2 autonomous cities.

Major landforms include the Andalusian Plain, Cantabrian Mountains, the Pyrenees, Maseta Central

Plateau, Sistema Central Mountains, the Sierra de Guadalupe Mountains, and the Canary Islands

Climate has clear, hot summers in the interior, more moderate and cloudier along coast; cloudy, cold

winters in the interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast.

History of Spain

Endless cultures, as they passed through or settled in Spain, have influenced the history of Spanish food.

The Phoenicians left their sauces, the Greeks introduced Spain to the wonders of olive oil, and Romans,

Carthaginians, and Jews integrated elements of their own cooking into that of Spain. However, it was the

Moors who, during their centuries of reign, most impacted Spanish gastronomy. They introduced fruits

and light seasonings into the Iberian diet, as well as combinations of fruits and nuts with meats and fish.

Rice is a genuine staple of Spanish gastronomy and therefore Spain's vast array of rice dishes, come

straight from the Moors, as does the use of saffron, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

The rich culture of Spain is based on diverse historical influences from Celtic and Iberian times, centuries

of Roman rule and the 900 years of Moorish dominance. Other flavors were added during the troubling

Middle Ages, with intriguing language, cuisine, music, art, literature, folk traditions, and Catholicism and

in the diverse ethnic communities. Spain’s Christian and Moorish architectural contributions are

monumental, and its distinct regional cultures are strong, especially in the Catalan and Basque regions.

Flamenco music, dance and the controversial bullfights are easily recognizable elements of Spanish

heritage, but the fierce national pride shown by the people are at the heart of the country’s identity. “Spain

is different” is an often-heard statement, emphasizing their position as a melting pot for centuries. Family

values dominate and, the culture of machismo is slowly declining. Friendly, but somewhat formal in their

approach to strangers.

Spain's Major Foods & Beverages

Breakfast

Galletas · Magdalenas · Bocadillos

Churros con chocolate · Pan Con Tomate

Tostada con mantequilla y mermelada

Torrijas · Zumo de naranja

Lunch and Dinner

Paella · Albóndigas · Chicken Croquetas

Tosta de Boquerones · Tortilla Española Arroz

Cubano · Gambas al Ajillo

Tapas · Rusa Dorada del Horno

Dessert

Turrón · Crema Catalana · Polvorones

Flan · Empanada de Manzana

Dulce de leche · Natillas · Goxua

Ponche Segoviano

Beverages

Zumo de naranja · Sangria · Horchata

Tepache de Piña · Tinto de Verano

Chocolate Caliente

Spanish Traditional Funeral Foods

At a Funeral reception, Spanish people prefer to follow the tradition of serving a variety of foods to the

guests just to appreciate their sympathetic gestures to the grieving family.

Soups are among the common comfort foods, even in the Spanish culture. There are several types of

soups in Spanish culinary style, mostly made with legumes, meat, seafood etc. Certain regions of Spain

also use almonds to prepare the soups. The simple Spanish preparations like Gazpacho, Sopa de

Almendras or Caldo Galego are most used in this occasion. Depending on the season, the Spanish people

select the ingredients to prepare these healthy, hearty and comforting soups. Stews are much common for the funeral reception menu. This simple food can be prepared easily and can

be consumed with choices of breads. The fresh vegetables and chicken broth are used to prepare the

stews, along with chunks of meats like beef or pork. Particularly in the winter, stews make an ideal option

for a funeral reception.

Tapas small plates are also served at funeral receptions along with rare and premium choices of wine.

There is a wide range of selections available as the tapas menu in the Spanish culinary style using sea

scallops, vegetables, mushroom, almonds, olives, and ravioli.

There are several choices for the comfort food category in Spanish style. The most favorite dish is paella.

The paella is normally prepared with rice, meat or seafood and certain vegetables. Other than paella, there

is tortilla Espanola or potato omelet, which is prepared with potatoes, eggs and oil. Fish is also used in

several recipes to make the reception special yet simple.

Spanish Flan Recipe

Ingredients Checklist

 1/3 cup white sugar

 7 ounces sweetened condensed milk

 1 cup heavy cream

 1/2 cup milk

 3 eggs

 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation Checklist

 Prep:20 mins

 Cook:1 hr.

 Total:1 hr. 20 mins

 Servings: 4

 Yield: 4 servings

Instructions Checklist

 Step 1- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

 Step 2- In a small nonstick saucepan, heat the sugar over medium heat. Shake and

swirl occasionally to distribute sugar until it is

dissolved and begins to brown. Lift the pan over

the heat source (4 to 6 inches) and continue to

brown the sugar until it becomes a dark golden

brown. You may slightly stir while cooking, but

continually stirring causes the sugar to crystallize. Pour caramelized sugar into a 1 1/2-quart

casserole dish or a large loaf pan, and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan evenly.

 Step 3- In a blender, combine sweetened condensed milk, cream, milk, eggs and vanilla. Blend on high for one minute. Pour over the caramelized sugar.

 Step 4- Place the filled casserole dish into a larger pan and add 1 inch of HOT water to the outer pan. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until set.

Five local restaurants in Madrid, Spain

Pasto

Flan: 7,00€ Phone: 911 104 072

Yelp: 5/5

Website: www.pastomadrid.com

Address: Calle de Lope de Vega, 15 28014 Madrid Spain

Yelp Review: 5/5

Hannah V.- Stamford, CT

This place has amazing food and service. We came in after wandering around for a long time looking for

a dinner restaurant, and were so pleasantly surprised. The man serving us was so nice, immediately asking

if we have any allergies, and offering to make vegetarian versions of some of the dishes. He was very

knowledgeable about everything and recommended nice wines. We had octopus, (vegetarian) gnocchi,

rabbit tacos, sweet potato flan, and tiramisu- all were delicious and interesting! This place does a twist on

all these foods and it was so fun to try.

InClan Brutal

Flan: 6,50€ Phone: 910 238 038

Yelp: 4.5/5

Website: Inclanbrutal.com

Address: Calle Álvarez Gato, 4 28012 Madrid Spain

Yelp Review: 5/5

Denise P.- Santa Ana, CA

5 stars for both food and service! I got the pasta as the starter, oxtail as the main dish, and flan for dessert.

All of it was amazing along with our awesome waiter Santi, who made sure we had a good dining

experience. All in all, I would definitely return! Must try!

La Mallorquina

Flan: 6,50€ Phone: 915 211 201

Yelp: 4.5/5

Website: https://pastelerialamallorquina.es/

Address: Calle Mayor, 2 28013 Madrid Spain

Yelp Review: 5/5

Emily K.- Green Bay, WI

I for real love this place. It is no frills and it is super busy all the time. We came in from the rain and

ordered three things’ macaroons, flan and this liked croissant type baked good. The macaroons were huge

and my favorite thing we ordered. I could dream of them till I die. I think everyone should at least stop in

here to get something to go.

La Tasqueria

Flan: 8,50€ Phone: 914 511 000

Yelp: 5/5

Website: https://latasqueria.com/en/la-tasqueria-and-javi-estevez/#_=_

Address: Calle Duque de Sesto, 48 28009 Madrid Spain

Yelp Review: 5/5 Lillian L.- Madrid, Spain

One of the greatest experiences I've had in the past years. A place for real foodies. The dishes are

delicately cooked and marinated well. Flan is worth trying. Great Hospitality.

La Sanabresa

Flan: 5,50€ Phone: 914 290 338

Yelp: 4.5/5

Website: https://restaurantguru.com/La-Sanabresa-Madrid

Address: Calle del Amor de Dios, 12 28014 Madrid Spain

Yelp Review: 5/5 Tova M.- San Diego, CA

I went with a friend, and we got the paella, chicken croquettes, deep fried anchovies, almond cake, flan,

and sparkling water. Everything was amazing, but the standouts were clearly the paella, croquettes, and

almond cake. Those three alone would have been enough for two to share. The paella is HUGE and the

croquettes come with 8. And the quality was great! Everything was cooked well with fresh ingredients

and plenty of seasoning.

References

https://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/lang/en/espana/historyandculture/geography/Paginas/index.aspx

https://www.ducksters.com/geography/country/spain.php

https://cookingtheglobe.com/spanish-breakfast/

https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Restaurants&find_loc=Madrid%2C+Spain

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/44497/baked-flan/

https://www.thespruceeats.com/top-five-spanish-drinks-for-summer-3083129

https://www.enforex.com/culture/history-spanish-food.html

“First of all, the country is located on the Iberian Peninsula and is therefore almost entirely surrounded by

the waters. Naturally, due to this fortunate location, seafood forms one of the pillars of Spain's

gastronomy and categorizes the country as having a Mediterranean diet.”

“For example, Spain's famous hams are cured high in the mountains, vineyards and olive groves sprawl

across expanses of land, and fresh fruits and vegetables hail from throughout the country.