Spanish and

Latin-
American
Cuisine
SUBMITTED TO: MR. RAJKUMAR JOSHI
(FACULTY: SPANISH)

COMPILED BY: -
KARAN SINGH,
MBA (GEN) – 2010-12,
 ENROLL NO. A0101910309 (B - 49)
SPANISH CUISINE

Spanish cuisine consists of a variety of dishes, which stem from differences in geography, culture and climate.
It is heavily influenced by seafood available from the waters that surround the country, and reflects the
country's deep maritime roots. Spain's extensive history with many cultural influences has led to an array of
unique cuisines with literally thousands of recipes and flavors. It is also renowned for its health benefits and
fresh ingredients.

History

The first introduction of a product to the ancient Iberia was that of wheat. Wheat was thought to be brought
by Iberians from the south of the peninsula was perhaps brought from Aquitaine in the north of the peninsula,
due to the difficulty of transporting from the south. In time, the wheat of Iberia came to be considered to be the
best in the Roman Empire, and became one of the main commodities of foreign trade. The Romans' early
approval of the wheat led to the spread of wheat from Spain to Greece and Egypt.

There were two major kinds of diet in the peninsula. One was found in the northwest part of the peninsula, with
more animal fats that correspond to the husbandry of the North. The other could be considered the precursor of
the Mediterranean diet and was found in the southerly parts of the peninsula.

Roman cuisine
As early as Roman times one can say that, with the exception of products later imported from the Americas,
many modern foods were consumed, although mostly by the aristocracy, not the middle class. Cooking
references from that era discuss the eating habits in Rome, where foods from all of the Empire's
provinces were brought. So, for an example, it is known that thousands of amphorae ofolive oil were sent to
Rome from Spain. Nonetheless, and especially in the Celtic areas, consumption of animal products
(from lamb, beef, etc.) was more common than consumption of vegetables.

Already in that era, cabbages were well known and appreciated, and considered a panacea for various
aliments. Other popular vegetables of that time were thistles (such as artichokes) and onions.

In Roman Spain the hams of Pomeipolis (Pamplona) had great prestige. The export of pork products became
the basis of a strong local economy.
It is almost certain that lentils were already consumed in Roman Spain, because they formed a staple food for
the army and because they are easy to preserve and transport. Fava beans were known from antiquity and
were considered sacred by the Romans. In the Saturnalia, the later December festival in honor of Saturn, fava
beans were used to choose the king of the festival. This custom is believed to be the source of the present day
custom of hiding an object in the roscón de reyes (similar to the sixpence traditional in a Christmas pudding);
until quite recently, that object was a fava bean. Garbanzos were also popular, primarily among the poorer
classes.

Mushrooms were common and popular in the northern part of the country.

They mastered the science of grafting. According to Pliny, Tibur saw a tree that produced a distinct fruit on
each of its branches: nuts, apples, pomegranates, cherries, pears, but he added that they dried out quickly.

Viticulture already was known and practiced by the Romans, but it seemed as well the fact that it was
the Greeks who extended the vine across the Mediterranean region. This includes those wines that were most
popular in the Empire.

In this era the wealthy typically ate while lying on a couch (a custom acquired from the Greeks) and using their
hands, because forks were not used for eating. Tablecloths were introduced in the 1st century. They came to
use two plates, one flat (platina or patella) and the other deep (catinus), which they held with the left hand. That
hand could not be used for many other things while eating, given that they ate with their left arms while
reclining in bed, so that only the right hand was free. Knives were known, but not particularly needed at table
because the dishes were cut up by slaves intobitesize pieces. They used spoons, which, like today, had
different sizes, depending on what they were used for. The first spoons were made from clam shells (hence,
the name cuchara), with silver handles.

The mode of flavoring and cooking was quite distinct from what is found in modern times.
Typical dishes

Iberian pork embutidos

Andalusian "pescaíto" frito.

Asturian chuletillas

Catalonia: Alongside Valencia, Catalonia has a long tradition of rice-dishes and seafood. In addition, cooked
and cured sausages from Vic are famous. Perhaps the most well-known dish is theCatalan cream, similar
to crème brûlée. Catalan cuisine is rich, pa amb tomàquet and botifarra are typical food of Catalonia.

La Rioja: above all its international Rioja wines, as well as its vegetable soups, its pepper and potato dishes
(that dumbfounded even Paul Bocuse, so the story goes).
Extremadura: Cocido extremeño (a rich stew of bacon, fowl, ham, meats, and
vegetables), embutidos of Iberian pork, cheeses (including the indispensable torta del casar, a close relative of
the Portuguese queijo da serra), pitarra wine.

Andalusia: (Andalucia) fried fish, salmorejo and gazpacho. Seafood, especially shrimp, squid, mackerel and

flatfish. Jabugo ham and Sherry wine.

Aragón: Somontano, Borja and other wines. Jamón serrano (cured ham) in Teruel. Migas, very typical in small
villages. Nuestra Señora del Pilar sweets in Zaragoza. "Ternasco con patatas a lo pobre", one of the most
popular dishes in Aragón. "Borrajas", vegetable typical of this zone. Peaches with red wine (from Calanda, in
Teruel). And "chiretas", very popular in "Ribagorza" and "Somontano de Barbastro".

Murcia: products of its rich gardens, such as zarangollo; fish and lamb stews; and the wines of Jumilla.

Valencia: The Valencian region, specialises amongst others in the famous Paella, and is its birthplace. This
dish is very popular, and it's common to cook one each Sunday for family lunch. In fact, in Valencia,
during Falles, one of the biggest holidays there, it is quite normal to find big paellas being cooked in the street.
The typical Valencian pael contains meat and vegetables, but many other variants of rice-based dishes can be
found, with shellfish, meatballs or just covered in egg ("Arròs amb crosta").

Balearic Islands:A typical island-based diet of seafood and simple, vegetable-based dishes as well
as Sobrasada. Samfaina (Ratatouille) and Cocas are typical of Catalan cuisine generally.Majorca's biggest
export is the Ensaimada, a pastry.

Basque country: skillfully cooked dishes such as "txangurro relleno" (spider crab) "marmitako" and hake and
clams. Idiazabal cheese and a distinctive wine called "txakoli". Piquillo peppers, filled with cod or tuna.

Navarre: vegetable stews, Tudela's lettuce hearts with anchovies, salmon, or a simple vinaigrette (oil, salt and

vinegar); piquillo peppers, which are often stuffed with meat; trout à la Navarra (cooked stuffed with bacon and
cheese), Roncal and Idiazabal cheeses, curd from Ultzama, claret wine, and patxaran liquor.

Galicia: Caldo gallego; an array of seafoods, especially octopus, cod and goose barnacles; Tarta de Santiago,

a tart made of almonds and lemon; empanadas; Albariño wine from the Rias Baixas.

Castilla y León: Morcilla from León, Burgos or Valladolid (black pudding made with blood and different spices),
Judión de la Granja, Sopa de Ajo (Garlic soup), Cochinillo asado (little roast pig), Lechazo (Roast Lamb),
Botillo del Bierzo, Hornazo from Salamanca, a great variety of sausages like Salchichas de Zaratán and
cheeses like Cheese of Serrada or Burgos´s Fresh Cheese and various of the best wines in Spain *Ribera del
Duero wines. Don´t forget Jamón de Guijuelo (Spanish cured ham from Guijuelo (Salamanca))

Chefs

Today, Spanish cooking is "in fashion", especially thanks in part to Ferran Adrià, who in the summer of 2003
attained international renown thanks to praise in the Sunday supplement of the New York Times. His
restaurant El Bulli is located in the province of Girona, near Roses. In a long article, the New York
Times declared him the best chef in the world, and postulated the supremacy of Spanish cooking over French
cuisine.

Four other Spanish chefs hold three stars in the prestigious Michelin Guide:

Juan Mari Arzak ("Arzak" in San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, since 1989)

Santi Santamaría ("El Raco" of Can Fabes, Barcelona, since 1994)

Martín Berasategui ("Berasategui" in Lasarte, Guipúzcoa since 2001)

Carme Ruscalleda ("Sant Pau" in Sant Pol de Mar, Barcelona since 2006)

Karlos Arguiñano, who over the years has presented cooking programmes on various Spanish television
channels, in which he shows his communication skills and sense of humour while cooking.

Simone Ortega, author of the best-seller cookbook in Spain "1080 recetas".

Sergi Arola, chef of the restaurant "La Broché", disciple of Adrià.

José Andrés, chef/owner of "Minibar by José Andrés" in Washington D.C., and disciple of Adrià. Current host
of Made in Spain, airing on PBS networks.

Prominent names in the history of Spanish cuisine include:

Ángel Muro: 19th century food expert, author of the book "Practicón", a reference of cooking in the 19th
century; equivalent to Ma cuisine by Escoffier.

María Mestayer de Echagüe, "Marquesa de Parabere": author of a two-volume cooking encyclopedia (with the
second dedicated to the pantry) that is still in print, and that contains a large number of recipes, as well as
chapters dedicated to table manners.
Other notable chefs specializing in Spanish cuisine:

Ilan Hall, winner of Top Chef Season 2, was known for his Spanish-inspired dishes. He has worked at the
acclaimed Casa Mono Spanish restaurant in Manhattan.
 LATIN – AMERICAN CUISINE

Latin American Cuisine is a phrase that refers to typical foods, beverages, and cooking styles common to
many of the countries and cultures in Latin America. Latin America is a very diverse area of land that holds
various cuisines that vary from nation to nation.

Some items typical of Latin American cuisine include maize-based dishes (tortillas, tamales, pupusas) and
various salsas and other condiments (guacamole, pico de gallo, mole, chimichurri, andpebre). These spices
are generally what give the Latin American cuisines a distinct flavor; yet, each country of Latin America tends to
use a different spice and those that share spices tend to use them at different quantities. Thus, this leads for a
variety across the land. Sofrito, a culinary term that originally referred to a specific combination of sauteed or
braised aromatics, exists in Latin American cuisine. It refers to a sauce of tomatoes, roasted bell peppers,
garlic, onions and herbs.

Latin American beverages are just as distinct as their foods. Some of the beverages can even date back to the
times of the Native Americans. Some popular beverages
include mate, pisco, horchata,chicha, atole, cacao and aguas frescas.

Desserts in Latin America are generally very sweet in taste. They include dulce de leche, alfajor, Rice
pudding, tres leches cake, Teja and flan.

Native American influence

Information about Native American cuisine comes from a great variety of sources. Modern day native peoples
retain a rich body of traditional foods, some of which have become iconic of present-day Native American
social gatherings (for example, frybread). Foods like cornbread are known to have been adopted into the
cuisine of the United States from Native American groups. In other cases, documents from the early periods of
contact with European, African, and Asian peoples allow the recovery of food practices which passed out of
popularity in the historic period (for example, Black Drink). Archaeological techniques, particularly in the
subdisciplines of zooarchaeology and paleoethnobotany, have allowed for the understanding of other culinary
practices or preferred foods which did not survive into the written historic record.
African influence
Africans brought and preserved many of their traditions and cooking techniques. They were often given less
desired cuts of meat, including shoulder and intestines. Menudo, for example, was derived from the habit of the
Spaniards of giving the slaves cows' intestines. Slaves developed a way to clean the offal and season it to
taste. Slaves in the southern United States also did the same thing to the pig's intestines given to them. In
South America, the scraps of food the landlords did not eat, and by mixing what they got they usually ended
coming up with new plates that nowadays have been adopted into the cuisine of their respective nation (Such
being the case with the Peruvian tacu-tacu and dog).

European influence
Europeans brought their culinary traditions, but quickly adapted several of the fruits and vegetables native to
the Americas into their own cuisines. Europe itself had been influenced by other cultures, such as with the
Moors in Spain, and thus their food was already a mix of their world. European influence for Latin American
cuisine mainly comes from Spain and Portugal, smaller influences from cuisines as diverse as British, French
and German are evident in some countries cuisines.

Asian influence
A wave of immigrants from Asia, such as China and Japan, also influenced the cuisine of Latin America. The
Chinese brought with them their own spices and food-styles, something that the people of Latin America
accepted into their tables. Not only that, but several Asian restaurants also adapted a whole lot of Latin
American food-styles into their own. This case can clearly be seen in the Peruvian chifa.

Caribbean cuisine
Caribbean cuisine is a fusion of African, Dutch, Amerindian, French, Indian, and Spanish cuisine. These
traditions were brought from the many homelands of this region's population. In addition, the population has
created from this vast wealth of tradition many styles that are unique to the region.

Seafood is one of the most common cuisine types in the islands, though this is certainly due in part to their
location. Each island will likely have its own specialty. Some prepare lobster, while others prefer certain types
of fish. For example, the island of Barbados is known for its "flying fish."
Another Caribbean mainstay is rice, but you'll find the rice on each island may be a little different. Some season
their rice, or add peas and other touches - like coconut. Sometimes the rice is yellow, but other times it is part
of a dish. Though it comes in many forms, it is a common side dish throughout the region.

North America
North American cuisine is a term used for foods native to or popular in countries of North America, as with
Canadian cuisine, Cuisine of the United States, and Cuisine of Mexico. It has influences from many
international cuisines, including Native American cuisine and European cuisine.

The cuisines of nearby Central America and the Caribbean region — sometimes grouped with the North
American continent — may be considered part of North American cuisine in the technical sense that they are
not assigned to their own continents.

South America
The richest products of South America come from the middle of the continent, the Amazonia. In countries
like Peru there is a strong influence of the Inca and their cuisine. Potatoes are frequently grown as a result of
this, and also plants such as quinoa. Lima itself was declared the "Gastronomic Capital of the Americas" in
2006. Costa Rica lies on the Pacific Ocean, which provides a large array of seafood. Many plains are also on
this continent, which are rich for growing food in abundance. In the Patagonia south of Chile and Argentina,
many people produce lamb and venison. King crab is typically caught at the southern end of the
continent. Antarctic krill has been recently discovered and is now considered a fine dish. Tuna and tropical
fish are caught all around the continent, but Easter Island is where they are found in abundance. Lobster is
also caught in great quantities from the Juan Fernández Islands. hidse
 Asado of Argentina (barbecue)

Traditional Belizean dinner.

Moqueca of Brazil.

Caldillo de Congrio of Chile

Bandeja paisa of Colombia

Gallo pinto of Costa Rica

Authentic Cuban dish ofropa vieja, black beans with yellow rice, and yuca

Enchilada with mole sauce

Chile en nogada

Ceviche, a Peruvian plate that has grown rapidly in popularity.

Peruvian Pisco sour