The foundation of much of Barcelona’s cuisine is its geography and position. Barcelona is located on the coast of Mediterranean Sea on the Iberian Peninsula. The city is situated between two rivers, Llobregat and Besos, and the Collserola mountain range. The combination of Spain’s fertile terrain and temperate climate make Spain strong agriculturally. The surrounding farmland provides Barcelona with a plethora of fresh foodstuffs. Due to Spain’s geographic location, the country’s cooking style has historically relied on whatever ingredients were available locally. Barcelona is positioned on the Iberian Peninsula and therefore is almost entirely surrounded by water. Seafood is one of the main pillars of Barcelona’s cookin. Popular types of seafood include sea bass, monkfish, squid, clams, mussels, langoustines, crayfish, lobster, shrimp, and prawns.
Spain’s farmlands grow a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Other famous Spanish delicacies are their hams and pork products.
Spain’s geographic location makes their cuisine fundamentally Mediterranean, but Barcelona’s position as part of the trade route between North Africa and the rest of Europe also had a major affect on the country’s cooking. When Christopher Columbus discovered the Americas in 1492 he significantly influenced the course of history, and the eating habits of all of Europe. His discovery particularly affected Barcelona’s cuisine due to the city’s centrality in trade. Of the many products that crossed the Atlantic to Europe the items most influential to Spanish cuisine were tomatoes, legumes, potatoes, and peppers which are found in many traditionally Spanish foods. Many foods that are recognized as “typically Catalan” include products imported from the Americas such as tortilla de patata, patatas bravas, and pan con tomate.
This past weekend in Barcelona consisted of constant eating. I tried all three famous Catalan dishes, but my favorite was the pan con tomate. It looks and taste like brushetta, but is totally different. It is one of the simplest and the most widely eaten famous dishes from Cataluña. It is toasted bread rubbed with fresh garlic and ripe tomato, then drizzled with olive oil and a bit of salt.
The food was so fresh and delicious, I never went a few hours without consuming something. On Saturday I went to the Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria which is a large public market in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona. The market has a very diverse selection of goods. There were stands and stands of food products. I bought a few apples and oranges and was content.
I loved the Spanish Cuisine especially the typical Catalan dishes. I hope to go back to Spain and explore some more typical Spanish plates.
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