Andalusian cuisine and gastronomy

If the quality of cuisines is linked to the availability of good and varied raw materials, Andalusia has an excellent position to be a culinary reference. Adding to this culinary tradition, imagination and technical upgrading, the Andalusian gastronomy occupies an important place.

The diversity of soils and climates make of Andalucia a region of varied food production: Mountains, countryside and coast, the dry plains and gentle slopes of olive groves. The coasts of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea offer a great variety and quality in fish supply: The tuna (which migrates annually from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean), sole, sea bass, hake, anchovies, mullet, sardines, prawns (the ones from Sanlucar in Cadiz are exceptional), shrimps (insurmountable the white one from Huelva) and clams, just to name a few.

All these delicacies are eaten fried in olive oil, as the insurmountable fried fish (pescaito frito) or grilled, salted, baked, simply boiled or cooked in creative preparations.

The garden products are plentiful and varied and cater during the cold months the major European markets. Tasty examples are the beans from Jaen, potatoes from Motril, asparagus from Huetor Tajar, artichokes, eggplant and many more.

Irresistible Fruits such as oranges from the mountains of Cordoba, the sweetest and most flavorful; persimmon, loquat, pomegranate, figs and pears, raspberries of the Alpujarras; custard apples, avocados, mangoes, guavas, papayas and many other coastal subtropical fruits from the coasts of Granada and Malaga.

Among all the sausages that abound in Spain, a gastronomic symbol is Jamon Iberico ham and of special quality is the one produced in the mountain ranges of Huelva and Cordoba.

The different types of Gazpacho (Ajoblanco, Gazpacho, Porra Antequerana, Pipirrana ...), provide many nutrients and are highly considered meals for anyone who wants to fight the thirst and heat. They provide plenty of vitamins and minerals as well as being a very pleasant experience for the palate.