Flavours of Spain to take home

Spain is the main producer in the world. A very simple and tasty way to enjoy it: raw on crusty bread. Also in salad dressings and on grilled vegetables. There are many areas where excellent quality olive oil is produced: Andalusia, Catalonia, Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha, the Valencian Community, the Balearic Islands and Aragon, among others.

You will find very tasty local products all over Spain. Perhaps the most popular internationally is the  Manchego cheese  (from Castilla – La Mancha). However, the list is enormous and satisfies all tastes. Some other delicious cheeses include Mahón (from the Balearic Islands), which is made from cow's milk; Majorero (from the Canary Islands), which is made from goat's milk; and Idiazabal (from the Basque Country), which is made from sheep's milk.  

These are the most traditional products of each destination and it is best to buy them in local shops. Good examples include ensaimadas from the Balearic Islands, fabes beans from Asturias and mojo sauces from the Canary Islands. The most notable sweet treats include marzipan from Toledo (Castilla-La Mancha) and turron from the Region of Valencia. Both of these products are easy to find all over Spain at Christmas.

Seafood products are a delicacy, with the preserved products from the north being renowned: From the Cantabrian coast come delicacies such as  ventresca and  bonito in olive oil or  anchovies from Cantabria. You can also find canned bluefin tuna caught using the traditional almadraba method, a gastronomic gem from the Atlantic waters of Andalusia. 

Other prestigious preserved products include garden vegetables, such as asparagus from Navarra, piquillo peppers from Lodosa and aubergines from Almagro. Olives are another culinary delight from the plant kingdom, with those from Jaén in Andalusia being very popular, for example.

Did you know that saffron from Castilla-La Mancha is regarded as some of the best in the world? It is so important that it even has its own festival, which is celebrated every October in the town of Consuegra (Toledo). Ideal for adding aroma and flavour to dishes, desserts and teas. La Vera pimentón from Extremadura is another Spanish condiment that is highly prized internationally.  The most commonly used in cooking is sweet paprika, although there are also two other varieties to choose from: spicy and bittersweet.

To cool off in summer there is a very popular drink in Spain: horchata from Valencia. It is prepared with water, sugar and tiger nuts and is enjoyed by both adults and children. Drunk on its own or accompanied by the traditional "fartons" (long sweet buns to dip into your drink), it is always a delight.