95-532: El Quijote is a Spanish restaurant in the Hotel Chelsea in the New York City borough of Manhattan . The eatery has been in the same location (226 West 23rd Street) for some 88 years and, after being sold by the original owning family (under the final aegis of Manny Ramirez) to Chelsea Hotels, it was closed for renovations. The new proprietors have kept the authentic Spanish feel of the place which
190-513: A city wall, will be long in falling to decay if tied in this manner. Olives were one of the main elements in ancient Israelite cuisine . Olive oil was used for not only food and cooking, but also lighting, sacrificial offerings, ointment , and anointment for priestly or royal office. The olive tree is one of the first plants mentioned in the Hebrew Bible , and one of the most significant. An olive branch (or leaf, depending on translation)
285-523: A complimentary appetizer in bars and cafes when ordering a drink. Aside from some of the aforementioned specialties, other signature tapas include: mejillones en escabeche (marinated mussels), gildas , albóndigas (meatballs), callos , torreznos or raxo de cerdo . Andalusian cuisine is twofold: rural and coastal. Of all the Spanish regions, this region uses the most olive oil in its cuisine. The Andalusian dish that has possibly achieved
380-478: A few days with lye, to a few months with brine or salt packing. With the exception of California style and salt-cured olives, all methods of curing involve a major fermentation involving bacteria and yeast that is of equal importance to the final table olive product. Traditional cures, using the natural microflora on the fruit to induce fermentation, lead to two important outcomes: the leaching out and breakdown of oleuropein and other unpalatable phenolic compounds, and
475-697: A highly successful commercial venture from the 1860s onward. In Japan, the first successful planting of olive trees happened in 1908 on Shodo Island , which became the cradle of olive cultivation in Japan. In 2016, olive oil production started in India , with olive saplings planted in Rajasthan's Thar Desert . Favoured by climate warming, several small-scale olive production farms have also been established at fairly high latitudes in Europe and North America since
570-524: A long and rich history, deeply rooted in Celtic traditions of Atlantic Europe . One of its most famous dishes is fabada asturiana . Fabada is the traditional stew of the region, made with white beans, sausages (such as chorizo and morcilla [ es ] ), and pork. A well-known recipe is fabes con almejas (beans with clams ). Asturian beans ( fabes ) can also be cooked with hare , partridge , prawns , or octopus . Another known recipe
665-919: A low-alcohol drink made of Asturian apples with a distinctive sourness. Asturian cider, Sidra de Asturias [ es ] , made of a special type of apple, is traditionally poured escanciada from a certain height, usually over the head of the waiter/server. When the cider falls into the glass from above, the drink "breaks", becoming aerated and bubbly. It is consumed immediately after being served, in consecutive, tiny shots. Notable desserts are frisuelos [ es ] (similar to crêpes , usually filled with cream or apple jam), rice pudding (white rice cooked with milk, lemon zest and sugar), and carbayón (dulce) [ ast ] ( puff pastry cakes filled with almond mash and covered with sugar glaze). Balearic cuisine has purely Mediterranean characteristics due to its location. The islands have been conquered several times throughout their history by
760-568: A piece of the trunk, the root, a twig, or a stake. According to Pliny the Elder a vine, a fig tree and an olive tree grew in the middle of the Roman Forum ; the olive was planted to provide shade. (The garden was recreated in the 20th century). The Roman poet Horace mentions it in reference to his own diet, which he describes as very simple: "As for me, olives, endives , and smooth mallows provide sustenance." Lord Monboddo comments on
855-655: A regional peach variant, infused in red wine with sugar and cinnamon. Other sweet Aragonese specialities are trenza de Almudevar , tortas de alma , guirlache [ es ] (a type of nougat ), adoquín del Pilar [ es ] and Españoletas (a kind of local cookie). The prevalence of peaches in Aragonese cuisine extends to drinks. Sopeta is a traditional beverage emerging from sliced peach, white wine and sugar. The best-known wines of Aragon are those from Cariñena , Somontano (Huesca), Calatayud and Campo de Borja . Asturian cuisine has
950-489: A regular basis. Tapas and pinchos are snacks and appetizers commonly served in bars and cafes. Authors such as Strabo wrote about the aboriginal people of Spain using nuts and acorns as staple foods. The extension of vineyards along the Mediterranean seemed to be due to the colonization of Greeks and Phoenicians , who also introduced the production of olive oil. Spain became the largest producer of olive oil in
1045-463: A rich variety of species, including tuna, hake and sardines. Asturian cheeses are very popular in the rest of Spain. Among them, the most representative is Cabrales cheese , a pungent, blue cheese developed in the regions near the Picos de Europa . Other popular cheese types are gamonéu afuega'l pitu , and queso de Pría [ es ] . These are usually enjoyed with the local cider ,
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#17327734079541140-444: A rock to hasten the fermentation process. The olives are stored for a period of up to a year in a container with salt water, lemon juice, lemon peels, laurel and olive leaves, and rosemary. Some recipes may contain white vinegar or olive oil. Most commonly applied to green olive preparation, around 60% of all the world's table olives are produced with this method. Olives are soaked in lye (dilute NaOH, 2–4%) for 8–10 hours to hydrolyse
1235-504: A single primary cultivar and a secondary cultivar selected for its ability to fertilize the primary one. In recent times, efforts have been directed at producing hybrid cultivars with qualities useful to farmers, such as resistance to disease, quick growth, and larger or more consistent crops. Fossil evidence indicates that the olive tree had its origins 20–40 million years ago in the Oligocene , in what now corresponds to Italy and
1330-643: A table there, and was often joined by the author William S. Burroughs . Janis Joplin was said to have caused a scene on the premises more than once. El Quijote was used for scenes in I Shot Andy Warhol , a movie by Christine Vachon about Valerie Solanas , the would-be assassin of the famed pop artist, recreating the meetings which took place there between Solanas and the publisher of her SCUM Manifesto , Maurice Girodias . 40°44′41″N 73°59′49″W / 40.7446°N 73.9969°W / 40.7446; -73.9969 Spanish cuisine Spanish cuisine ( Spanish : Cocina española ) consists of
1425-422: A very close succession of ties made of charred olive wood, binding the two faces of the wall together like pins, to give it lasting endurance. For that is a material which neither decay, nor the weather, nor time can harm, but even though buried in the earth or set in the water it keeps sound and useful forever. And so not only city walls but substructures in general and all walls that require a thickness like that of
1520-480: Is changurro [ es ] , or stuffed king crab. Common meat dishes include beef steaks, pork loin with milk, fig leaf quail, and marinated goose. Txakoli or chacolí (a white wine characterised by its high acidity and a lesser-than-average alcohol content) is a staple drink from the Basque Country, produced in Álava and Biscay . Basque cider is popular following the apple harvest and
1615-718: Is pote asturiano [ es ] (made with white beans, kale, potatoes and a variety of sausages and bacon) and potaje de vigilia [ es ] . Pork-based foods, such as chosco [ ast ] , callos a l'asturiana [ ast ] and bollu preñáu [ ast ] (chorizo-stuffed bread rolls), are popular. Common meat dishes include carne gobernada [ es ] (roasted veal), cachopo (a crunchy, crumb-coated veal steak stuffed with ham and cheese), and caldereta [ es ] . Fish and seafood play an important role in Asturian cuisine. The Cantabrian Sea provides
1710-697: Is a species of small tree or shrub in the family Oleaceae , found traditionally in the Mediterranean Basin , with wild subspecies found further afield in Africa and western Asia . When in shrub form, it is known as Olea europaea ' Montra ' , dwarf olive , or little olive . The species is cultivated in all the countries of the Mediterranean , as well as in Australia, New Zealand, North and South America and South Africa. It
1805-744: Is also the most recommended and best possible oil for the lighting of the Shabbat candles . Due to its importance in the Hebrew Bible, the olive has significant national meaning in modern Israeli culture. Two olive branches appear as part of Israel's emblem and the olive tree is Israel's national tree. [1] Apart from being mentioned in the Hebrew Bible (the Christian Old Testament ), olives play an important role in Christianity. The Mount of Olives , east of Jerusalem ,
1900-520: Is highest in Greece, followed by Italy and Spain. The composition of olive oil varies with the cultivar, elevation, time of harvest and extraction process. It consists mainly of oleic acid (up to 83%), with smaller amounts of other fatty acids including linoleic acid (up to 21%) and palmitic acid (up to 20%). Extra virgin olive oil is required to have no more than 0.8% free acidity and fruity flavor characteristics. Table olives are classified by
1995-456: Is known for its kitsch decor, including wall murals and statues depicting scenes, and the title character from the Miguel de Cervantes masterpiece Don Quixote , as well as its heaping portions of classic Spanish fare such as chorizo , paella , garlic shrimp , Sangria and surf and turf as well as its own creations such as lobster in green sauce. Andy Warhol was known to hold forth at
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#17327734079542090-808: Is mentioned several times in the New Testament . The Allegory of the Olive Tree in St Paul's Epistle to the Romans refers to the scattering and gathering of Israel. It compares the Israelites to a tame olive tree and the Gentiles to a wild olive branch. The olive tree itself, as well as olive oil and olives, play an important role in the Bible. The olive tree and olive oil are mentioned seven times in
2185-412: Is more subdued than other methods. The brine is changed on a regular basis to help remove the phenolic compounds, and a series of progressively stronger concentrations of salt are added until the product is fully stabilized and ready to be eaten. Applied to green, semi-ripe, or ripe olives, these are soaked in water or weak brine and this solution is changed on a daily basis for 10–14 days. The oleuropein
2280-498: Is not uncommon to halt the working schedule to take a mid-morning snack . Lunch ( el almuerzo or la comida , literally meaning "the meal"), the large midday meal in Spain, contains several courses, especially in restaurants. In some regions of Spain, the word almuerzo refers to the mid-morning snack, instead of lunch. Lunch usually starts between 2:00 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. finishing around 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., and
2375-537: Is produced by the yeast fermentation, lactic, acetic, or citric acid is often added to the fermentation stage to stabilize the process. Applied to green, semi-ripe, or ripe olives, they are soaked in lye typically for longer periods than Spanish style (e.g. 10–72 hours) until the solution has penetrated three-quarters of the way into the fruit. They are then washed and immediately brined and acid corrected with citric acid to achieve microbial stability. Fermentation still occurs carried out by acidogenic yeast and bacteria but
2470-611: Is served in cider houses and bars. The Canary Islands have a unique cuisine due to its geographical location in the Atlantic ocean. The Canary Islands were part of the trading routes to the Americas , hence creating a melting pot of different culinary traditions. Fish (fresh or salted) and potatoes are among the most common staple foods in the islands. The consumption of cheese , fruits , and pork meat also characterizes Canarian cuisine. The close proximity to Africa influences
2565-454: Is still consumed in the islands and has become part of the traditional cuisine. A sauce called mojo is very common throughout the islands. It has been adapted and developed in many ways, so that it may complement various main dishes. Fish dishes usually require a "green mojo " made from coriander or parsley , while roasted meats require a red variety made from chilli peppers that are commonly known as mojo picón . Some classic dishes in
2660-666: Is table olives which can be stored without refrigeration. Fermentations dominated by lactic acid bacteria are, therefore, the most suitable method of curing olives. Yeast-dominated fermentations produce a different suite of metabolites which provide poorer preservation, so they are corrected with an acid such as citric acid in the final processing stage to provide microbial stability. The many types of preparations for table olives depend on local tastes and traditions. The most important commercial examples are listed below. Applied to green, semiripe, or ripe olives. Olives are soaked in salt water for 24–48 hours. Then they are slightly crushed with
2755-580: Is the type species for its genus, Olea . The tree and its fruit give their name to the Oleaceae plant family, which also includes species such as lilac , jasmine , forsythia , and the true ash tree . The olive's fruit, also called an "olive", is of major agricultural importance in the Mediterranean region as the source of olive oil ; it is one of the core ingredients in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines . Thousands of cultivars of
2850-435: Is typically gnarled and twisted. The small, white, feathery flowers , with ten-cleft calyx and corolla , two stamens , and bifid stigma , are borne generally on the previous year's wood, in racemes springing from the axils of the leaves. The fruit is a small drupe 1–2.5 cm ( 3 ⁄ 8 –1 in) long when ripe, thinner-fleshed and smaller in wild plants than in orchard cultivars. Olives are harvested in
2945-487: Is usually followed by sobremesa , which refers to the table talk that Spanish people undertake. Menus are organized according to these courses and include five or six choices in each course. At home, Spanish meals contain one to two courses and a dessert. The content of this meal is usually a soup dish, salad, a meat or a fish dish and a dessert such as fruit, yoghurt or something sweet. Tapas may also be typically served before or during lunch. According to recent report,
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3040-709: The Llibre de Sent Soví [ es ] (1324) and Ruperto de Nola's Llibre de Coch [ es ] (1520), both written in the Catalan language. Other of the earliest cooking books in pre-modern Iberia are the Fiḍālat al-Jiwān fī Ṭayyibāt al-Ṭaʿām wa-l-Alwān [ es ] by Murcia-born Ibn Razīn al-Tujībī and the anonymous Kitāb al-Ṭabikh fī al-Maghrib wa al-Andalus fī ʽAṣr al-Muwaḥḥidīn, li-muʽallif majhūl , written in Arabic. The arrival of Europeans in
3135-516: The Acropolis ; it was still to be seen there in the second century AD; and when Pausanias was shown it c. 170 AD, he reported "Legend also says that when the Persians fired Athens the olive was burnt down, but on the very day it was burnt it grew again to the height of two cubits ." Indeed, olive suckers sprout readily from the stump, and the great age of some existing olive trees shows that it
3230-521: The Americas in 1492 initiated the advent of new culinary elements, such as tomatoes , potatoes , maize , bell peppers , spicy peppers , paprika , vanilla and cocoa , or chocolate . Spain was where chocolate was first mixed with sugar to temper its natural bitterness. Other ingredients traveled to the Americas, such as rice, grapes, olives and many types of cereals. Influenced by Arabic harisa , grain-based soups such as farinetes (along
3325-480: The Basque Country has a wide and varied range of ingredients and preparations. The dining culture is strong among the inhabitants of this region. Highlights include meat and fish dishes. Among fish, cod ( bacalao ) is produced in various preparations: bacalao al pil pil , bacalao a la vizcaína [ es ] , etc. Also popular are anchovies , bream , and bonito . Among the most famous dishes
3420-689: The International Olive Council (IOC) into three groups according to the degree of ripeness achieved before harvesting: Raw or fresh olives are naturally very bitter; to make them palatable, olives must be cured and fermented , thereby removing oleuropein , a bitter phenolic compound that can reach levels of 14% of dry matter in young olives. In addition to oleuropein, other phenolic compounds render freshly picked olives unpalatable and must also be removed or lowered in quantity through curing and fermentation. Generally speaking, phenolics reach their peak in young fruit and are converted as
3515-725: The Linear B syllabic script. The olive tree, Olea europaea , is an evergreen tree or shrub native to Mediterranean Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is short and squat and rarely exceeds 8–15 m (25–50 ft) in height. 'Pisciottana', a unique variety comprising 40,000 trees found only in the area around Pisciotta in the Campania region of southern Italy , often exceeds this, with correspondingly large trunk diameters. The silvery green leaves are oblong, measuring 4–10 cm ( 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 –4 in) long and 1–3 cm ( 3 ⁄ 8 – 1 + 3 ⁄ 16 in) wide. The trunk
3610-478: The Olivier salad ), gazpacho (a vegetable cold soup), and tortilla de patatas (Spanish omelette). There is a disagreement in Spanish society when it comes to preferring onion as an ingredient in the Spanish omelette, often accompanied by highly opinionated views on either side. Tapas ( appetizers ), taken before lunch or dinner, or during them, are common. It is also common for tapas to be provided as
3705-505: The Quran , and the olive is praised as a precious fruit. Olive tree and olive oil health benefits have been propounded in prophetic medicine. Muhammad is reported to have said: "Take oil of olive and massage with it – it is a blessed tree" ( Sunan al-Darimi , 69:103). Olives are substitutes for dates (if not available) during Ramadan fasting, and olive tree leaves are used as incense in some Muslim Mediterranean countries. In Palestine
3800-461: The vine , but he makes clear (in 1.16.10) that the cultivated olive must be vegetatively propagated; indeed, the pits give rise to thorny, wild-type olives, spread far and wide by birds. Theophrastus reports how the bearing olive can be grafted on the wild olive, for which the Greeks had a separate name, kotinos . In his Enquiry into Plants (2.1.2–4) he states that the olive can be propagated from
3895-508: The Canary Islands include papas arrugadas , almogrote , frangollo , rabbit in salmorejo sauce, and stewed goat. Some popular desserts are truchas (pastries filled with sweet potato or pumpkin), roasted gofio (a gofio -based dough with nuts and honey), príncipe Alberto (a mousse-like preparation with almonds, coffee, and chocolate), and quesillo (a variety of flan made with condensed milk). Wineries are common in
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3990-570: The Columbian exchange. Gazpacho , salmorejo , and pan con tomate are made with tomatoes, which traveled from the New World to the Old World. For most of the 19th century, the aristocracy consumed a set of dishes that was largely an imitation of French cuisine. That was the available cuisine at the time, together with the degeneration of regional cuisines. A positive foreign take on
4085-541: The French and the English, which left some culinary influences. Some well-known food items are the sobrassada , arroz brut [ es ] , mahón cheese , gin de Menorca ( pelota ), and mayonnaise . Among the dishes are tumbet , frito mallorquín [ es ] , and roasted suckling pig . Popular desserts include ensaïmada , tambor d'ametlla , and suspiros de Manacor . The cuisine of
4180-738: The Iberian Peninsula during the Hispano-Muslim period include sorghum , spinach , eggplant , peach , apricot and saffron . The most famous Spanish dish, paella , used two ingredients that were probably popularized during the Al-Andalus period: rice and saffron. Moors also developed the basis for the art of pastry -making and introduced escabeche , a food preservation technique relying on vinegar. Dishes like ajo blanco , alboronía , alajú , hallulla , albóndigas , mojama , arrope , were some of
4275-646: The Mediterranean coast) and, similarly, gachas (in the Central Plateau ) were customary in Early Modern Spain. Foreign visitors noted with disdain the Spaniards' use of olive oil and lard for cooking rather than their preferred butter . The latter was barely available and, according to the 17th-century account of Madame d'Aulnoy , on the rare occasions that it was, would come "from afar, preserved in pig's tripes and full of worms". Butter
4370-455: The Spanish dishes opposing the largely negative views from foreign commentators was that of Richard Ford , who was fond of Spanish specialties such as Sherry and ham . Modern Spanish cuisine was gestated in the late 19th to early 20th century, with gastronomes and writers such as Mariano Pardo de Figueroa (Dr. Thebussem), José Castro y Serrano , Ángel Muro , Emilia Pardo Bazán and Dionisio Pérez , some of whom put effort into developing
4465-404: The Spanish government has taken steps to shorten the traditional long lunch break in an effort to end the workday earlier. Most businesses shut down for two or three hours for lunch, then resume the working day until dinner time in the evening. La cena , meaning both dinner or supper , is taken between 8:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. It typically consists of one course and dessert. Due to
4560-443: The Spanish type fermentation process, but the lye treatment process is skipped and the olives are placed directly in fermentation vessels full of brine (8–12% NaCl). The brine is changed on a regular basis to help remove the phenolic compounds. As the caustic treatment is avoided, lactic acid bacteria are only present in similar numbers to yeast and appear to be outdone by the abundant yeasts found on untreated olives. As very little acid
4655-468: The United Nations adopted in 1946 is a world map with two olive branches. The olive tree, Olea europaea , has been cultivated for olive oil, fine wood, olive leaf , ornamental reasons, and the olive fruit. About 80% of all harvested olives are turned into oil, while about 20% are used as table olives. The olive is one of the "trinity" or "triad" of basic ingredients in Mediterranean cuisine ,
4750-549: The archaic Proto-Greek form *ἐλαίϝα (* elaíwa ) ( Classic Greek ἐλαία elaía 'olive fruit; olive tree'. The word oil originally meant 'olive oil', from ŏlĕum , ἔλαιον ( élaion 'olive oil'). The word for 'oil' in multiple other languages also ultimately derives from the name of this tree and its fruit. The oldest attested forms of the Greek words are Mycenaean 𐀁𐀨𐀷 , e-ra-wa , and 𐀁𐀨𐀺 , e-ra-wo or 𐀁𐁉𐀺 , e-rai-wo , written in
4845-633: The area include anise , wine (such as Malaga , Jerez, and Pedro Ximénez ), and sherry brandy . Aragonese cuisine has a rural origin. One of its most famous dishes is roast lamb , or asado de ternasco . The lamb is cooked with garlic, salt, olive oil, laurel leaves, thyme and parsley. Pork dishes are also very popular, among them, magras con tomate [ es ] . Popular Aragonese recipes made with bread are migas de Pastor , migas con chocolate [ es ] , regañaos [ es ] , and goguera [ es ] . Legumes are very important to Aragonese dishes, but
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#17327734079544940-474: The climate and creates a range of warm temperatures that in modern times have fostered the agriculture of tropical and semitropical crops: bananas , yams , mangoes , avocados , and persimmons . These crops are heavily used in Canarian cuisine. The aboriginal people, Guanches , based their diet on gofio (a type of flour made of different toasted grains), shellfish , and goat and pork products. Gofio
5035-468: The community that do not possess land. This is practised through the tradition of leaving fruit on a tree during the harvest so that those who do not have land and are unable to take part in the harvest can still reap the benefits. The Great Seal of the United States first used in 1782 depicts an eagle clutching an olive branch in one of its talons, indicating the power of peace. The Flag of
5130-449: The country in 1984 with Con las manos en la masa . A continental-style breakfast ( desayuno ) may be taken just after waking up, or before entering the workplace. Common products taken during breakfast include coffee , milk, chocolate drink, biscuits (most notably Marie biscuits ), magdalenas , toasts (featuring ingredients such as oil, tomato and butter) or churros . Due to the large time span between breakfast and lunch, it
5225-565: The early 21st century. There were an estimated 865 million olive trees in the world as of 2005, and the vast majority of these were found in Mediterranean countries, with traditionally marginal areas accounting for no more than 25% of olive-planted area and 10% of oil production. Olives are thought to have been domesticated in the third millennium BC at the latest, at which point they, along with grain and grapes, became part of Colin Renfrew 's Mediterranean triad of staple crops that fueled
5320-667: The eastern Mediterranean Basin. Around 100,000 years ago, olives were used by humans in Africa, on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, for fuel and most probably for consumption. Wild olive trees, or oleasters, have been collected in the Eastern Mediterranean since ~19,000 BP. The genome of cultivated olives reflects their origin from oleaster populations in the Eastern Mediterranean. The olive plant
5415-645: The emergence of more complex societies. Olives, and especially (perfumed) olive oil, became a major export product during the Minoan and Mycenaean periods. Dutch archaeologist Jorrit Kelder proposed that the Mycenaeans sent shipments of olive oil, probably alongside live olive branches, to the court of the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten as a diplomatic gift. In Egypt, these imported olive branches may have acquired ritual meanings, as they are depicted as offerings on
5510-402: The fruit matures. Once ripening occurs, the levels of phenolics sharply decline through their conversion to other organic products, which render some cultivars edible immediately. One example of an edible olive native to the island of Thasos is the throubes black olive, which becomes edible when allowed to ripen in the sun, shrivel, and fall from the tree. The curing process may take from
5605-424: The generation of favourable metabolites from bacteria and yeast, such as organic acids, probiotics, glycerol, and esters, which affect the sensory properties of the final table olives. Mixed bacterial/yeast olive fermentations may have probiotic qualities. Lactic acid is the most important metabolite, as it lowers the pH, acting as a natural preservative against the growth of unwanted pathogenic species. The result
5700-568: The green to purple stage. O. europaea contains a pyrena commonly referred to in American English as a "pit", and in British English as a "stone". The six natural subspecies of Olea europaea are distributed over a wide range: The subspecies europaea is divided into two varieties , the europaea , which was formerly named Olea sativa , with the seedlings called "olivasters", and silvestris , which corresponds to
5795-486: The idea of a "national cuisine" recognisable by Spaniards as their own. Keen on participating in the Spanish nation-building process, Dr. Thebussem, in an autochthonous example of culinary nationalism , proposed to the King's Chef that the olla podrida (a rustic stew typically made of meat, legumes and other vegetables) should be served at official banquets as a national dish. This could be considered an important step in
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#17327734079545890-733: The islands. However, only Malvasia wine from Lanzarote has gained international recognition. A popular Cantabrian dish is cocido montañés (highlander stew), a rich stew made with beans , cabbage , and pork. Seafood is widely used and bonito is present in the typical sorropotún or marmita de bonitu [ ast ] ( tuna pot ). Recognized quality meats include Tudanca veal and game meat. Cantabrian pastries include sobaos and quesadas pasiegas . Dairy products include Cantabrian cream cheese , smoked cheeses , picón Bejes-Tresviso , and quesucos de Liébana [ es ] . Olives The olive , botanical name Olea europaea , meaning 'European olive',
5985-515: The large time span between lunch and dinner, an afternoon snack, la merienda , equivalent to afternoon tea , may take place at about 6:00 p.m. At merienda, people typically drink coffee, eat something sweet, or eat a sandwich or a piece of fruit. Some country-wide staple dishes common throughout Spain include croquetas ( croquettes ), paella (a rice dish from the Valencian Community), ensaladilla rusa (the local name for
6080-534: The late part of the century: "Spanish cooking, which they have inherited, is not generally pleasing to foreigners. Spaniards like strong condiments such as pepper, tomato sauce, hot peppers and saffron, which color or infect nearly all their dishes". Spain was the bridge for the Columbian exchange between the rest of Europe and the New World. Many traditional Spanish dishes such as tortilla de patata (an omelette made with potatoes), would not be possible without
6175-703: The leaves. The same insect is commonly found today on olive leaves, showing that the plant-animal co-evolutionary relations have not changed since that time. Other leaves found on the same island are dated back to 60,000 BP, making them the oldest known olives from the Mediterranean. Olives are not native to the Americas . Spanish colonists brought the olive to the New World , where its cultivation prospered in present-day Peru, Chile, Uruguay and Argentina. The first seedlings from Spain were planted in Lima by Antonio de Rivera in 1560. Olive tree cultivation quickly spread along
6270-465: The many legacies of Moorish cuisine. Although Muslim religion did not allow alcoholic drinks, the consumption of wine was widespread as the Qur'anic precepts never got to overrule the preexisting traditions. There are many accounts of the "drinking chats" of Abd al-Rahman II , Abd al-Rahman III and Almanzor . Almodrote (a formerly popular sauce preparation out of vogue since the late 17th century)
6365-679: The most international fame is gazpacho , a cold soup made with chopped vegetables, such as tomatoes and green peppers, vinegar, water, salt, olive oil, and bread (crumbs). Other cold soups include poleá , zoque and salmorejo . Eating olives as a snack is common. Meat dishes include flamenquín , pringá , oxtail stew, and menudo gitano (also called Andalusian tripe). Hot soups include sopa de gato (made with bread), caldillo de perro (fish soup with orange juice) and migas canas . Fish dishes include pescaíto frito , soldaditos de Pavía , and parpandúa . Cured meats include Serrano ham and Iberico ham . Typical drinks in
6460-549: The most popular vegetables are borage and thistle , as well as the famed tomate rosa de Barbastro [ es ] . Jamón de Teruel [ es ] and ham from Huesca are frequently used cured meats. Among the cheeses, queso de Tronchón [ es ] is notable. Fruit-based cuisine includes frutas de Aragón [ es ] (English: 'fruits of Aragon', candied fruits covered in chocolate) and maraschino cherries . Melocotón con vino consists of melocotón de Calanda [ es ] ,
6555-500: The natural microbiota present on the olives that survive the lye treatment process. Many organisms are involved, usually reflecting the local conditions or terroir of the olives. During a typical fermentation gram-negative enterobacteria flourish in small numbers at first but are rapidly outgrown by lactic acid bacteria species such as Leuconostoc mesenteroides , Lactobacillus plantarum , Lactobacillus brevis and Pediococcus damnosus . These bacteria produce lactic acid to help lower
6650-620: The old wildly growing Mediterranean species O. oleaster , with the seedlings called "oleasters". The sylvestris is characterized by a smaller, shrubby tree that produces smaller fruits and leaves. The subspecies O. e. cerasiformis is tetraploid , and O. e. maroccana is hexaploid . Wild-growing forms of the olive are sometimes treated as the species Olea oleaster , or "oleaster." The trees referred to as " white " and " black " olives in Southeast Asia are not actually olives but species of Canarium . Hundreds of cultivars of
6745-410: The oleuropein. They are usually considered "treated" when the lye has penetrated two-thirds of the way into the fruit. They are then washed once or several times in water to remove the caustic solution and transferred to fermenting vessels full of brine at typical concentrations of 8–12% NaCl. The brine is changed on a regular basis to help remove the phenolic compounds. Fermentation is carried out by
6840-402: The olive in 1779 as one of the foods preferred by the ancients and as one of the most perfect foods. Vitruvius describes of the use of charred olive wood in tying together walls and foundations in his De Architectura : The thickness of the wall should, in my opinion, be such that armed men meeting on top of it may pass one another without interference. In the thickness there should be set
6935-443: The olive rarely thrives at a distance from the sea, which in Greece invariably means up mountain slopes. Greek myth attributed to the primordial culture-hero Aristaeus the understanding of olive husbandry, along with cheese-making and bee-keeping. Olive was one of the woods used to fashion the most primitive Greek cult figures , called xoana , referring to their wooden material; they were reverently preserved for centuries. It
7030-547: The olive tree and plant carry the symbolic connotations of resilience, health, ancestral ties and community. Researchers have found that the olive tree is tied into the Palestinians' Sutra, A’wana and Sumud . The tree is a means of survival and security, represents their bond to their land, community and animals. Olive trees also serve as a symbol of their identities, which include their physical and emotional aspects and their socio-cultural values. Palestinian people view
7125-415: The olive tree are known. An olive's cultivar has a significant impact on its colour, size, shape, and growth characteristics, as well as the qualities of olive oil. Olive cultivars may be used primarily for oil, eating, or both. Olives cultivated for consumption are generally referred to as "table olives". Since many olive cultivars are self-sterile or nearly so, they are generally planted in pairs with
7220-405: The olive tree are known. Olive cultivars may be used primarily for oil, eating, or both. Olives cultivated for consumption are generally referred to as "table olives". About 80% of all harvested olives are turned into oil, while about 20% are used as table olives. The word olive derives from Latin ŏlīva 'olive fruit; olive tree', possibly through Etruscan 𐌀𐌅𐌉𐌄𐌋𐌄 ( eleiva ) from
7315-437: The olive trees as the first witnesses that Palestine is their homeland. The harvest season is referred to as "Palestine’s wedding" and is considered a national holiday when schools close for two days so that pupils and teachers can join in the harvest. This holiday allows community and family members to gather and serves as a ritual that encompasses their values surrounding family, labour, community and aid for other members of
7410-592: The other two being wheat for bread , pasta , and couscous ; and the grape for wine . Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil. It is commonly used in cooking, for frying foods or as a salad dressing . It is also used in cosmetics , pharmaceuticals , and soaps , and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps , and has additional uses in some religions. Spain accounts for almost half of global olive oil production; other major producers are Portugal, Italy, Tunisia, Greece and Turkey. Per capita consumption
7505-555: The pH of the brine and therefore stabilize the product against unwanted pathogenic species. A diversity of yeasts then accumulate in sufficient numbers to help complete the fermentation alongside the lactic acid bacteria. Yeasts commonly mentioned include the teleomorphs Pichia anomala , Pichia membranifaciens , Debaryomyces hansenii and Kluyveromyces marxianus . Once fermented, the olives are placed in fresh brine and acid corrected, to be ready for market. Applied to green, semiripe and ripe olives, they are almost identical to
7600-658: The preference for avoiding the mix of water and wine. Rice was possibly introduced for the first time by Byzantines in the Iberian Peninsula by the 6th century. After the Muslim conquest of the Iberian peninsula in the 8th century, Arabs expanded rice cultivation, bringing new irrigation techniques originally from the Indian subcontinent that also allowed for the cultivation of crops such as sugar cane , watermelon , lemon and oranges . Other ingredients possibly introduced in
7695-428: The process of straying away from the French cooking paradigm, which was dominant in the 19th century in Europe. Olla podrida had been previously ridiculed in foreign (most notably French) satires. Although the new foodscape built in opposition to the French centralist culinary model accounted for the awareness of the distinctive regional singularities, subsequent food writers in the country would continue to cope with
7790-498: The tension between the Spanish peripheral and centralist foodscapes. The influential cooking book 1080 recetas de cocina by Simone Ortega (first published in 1972) became a hit in Spain, remaining as of 2019 the third best-selling book ever in the history of the country after Don Quixote and the Bible. This was not a book exclusively of Spanish traditional recipes, but also included French recipes, bringing an exotic penchant to Spanish homes. Televised cooking shows started in
7885-640: The traditions and practices of Spanish cooking. It features considerable regional diversity, with significant differences among the traditions of each of Spain's regional cuisines. Olive oil (of which Spain is the world's largest producer) is extensively used in Spanish cuisine. It forms the base of many vegetable sauces (known in Spanish as sofritos ). Herbs most commonly used include parsley , oregano , rosemary and thyme . The use of garlic has been noted as common in Spanish cooking. The most used meats in Spanish cuisine include chicken , pork , lamb and veal . Fish and seafood are also consumed on
7980-534: The valleys of South America's dry Pacific coast where the climate was similar to the Mediterranean. Spanish missionaries established the tree in the 18th century in California . It was first cultivated at Mission San Diego de Alcalá in 1769 or later around 1795. Orchards were started at other missions, but in 1838, an inspection found only two olive orchards in California. Cultivation for oil gradually became
8075-451: The wall of the Aten temple and were used in wreaths for the burial of Tutankhamun . It is likely that, as well as being used for culinary purposes, olive oil was also used to various other ends, including as a perfume. The ancient Greeks smeared olive oil on their bodies and hair as a matter of grooming and good health. Olive oil was used to anoint kings and athletes in ancient Greece. It
8170-585: The wealth of the Minoan civilization . The ancestry of the cultivated olive is unknown. Fossil olea pollen has been found in Macedonia and other places around the Mediterranean, indicating that this genus is an original element of the Mediterranean flora. Fossilized leaves of olea were found in the palaeosols of the volcanic Greek island of Santorini and dated to about 37,000 BP . Imprints of larvae of olive whitefly Aleurobus olivinus were found on
8265-474: The world. The growing of crops of the so-called tríada mediterránea (the "Mediterranean triad": wheat , the grapevine , and olives ) underpinned the staple meal products for the inhabitants of the south of the Iberian Peninsula during the Roman Era ( bread , wine and oil ). The Visigoths ' limited but lasting contributions to Spanish cuisine included the spread of consumption of fermented milk and
8360-552: Was a Sephardic recipe in origin. Observing the kashrut regulations, Jews and judaizantes opted for blood-drained meat without fat, outright rejecting bacon. Potajes were an important part of the Jewish cuisine in the Middle Ages, most notably adafina , a local name for a ḥamin dish, along with other Jewish culinary legacies in Spain. The cookbook history in the country could be traced back to works such as
8455-583: Was brought back to Noah by a dove to demonstrate that the flood was over ( Book of Genesis 8:11). The olive is listed in Deuteronomy 8:8 as one of the seven species that are noteworthy products of the Land of Israel . According to the Halakha , the Jewish law mandatory for all Jews , the olive is one of the seven species that require the recitation of me'eyn shalosh after they are consumed. Olive oil
8550-449: Was burnt in the sacred lamps of temples and was the "eternal flame" of the original Olympic games. Victors in these games were crowned with its leaves. In Homer's Odyssey , Odysseus crawls beneath two shoots of olive that grow from a single stock, and in the Iliad , (XVII.53ff) there is a metaphoric description of a lone olive tree in the mountains, by a spring; the Greeks observed that
8645-502: Was first cultivated some 7,000 years ago in Mediterranean regions. For thousands of years olives were grown primarily for lamp oil, with little regard for culinary flavor. Its origin can be traced to the Levant based on written tablets, olive pits, and wood fragments found in ancient tombs. As far back as 3000 BC, olives were grown commercially in Crete and may have been the source of
8740-428: Was only produced locally in places such as Galicia, Asturias and Soria, or was imported, preserved in potassium nitrate , (the so-called "Flanders' butter"). By the 18th century, many American ingredients, such as peppers and tomatoes, had been fully incorporated into Spanish cuisine. Contemporary foreign visitors such as French ambassador Jean-François de Bourgoing , judged negatively this change happening in Spain by
8835-733: Was possible that the olive tree of the Acropolis dated to the Bronze Age. The olive was sacred to Athena and appeared on the Athenian coinage. According to another myth, Elaea was an accomplished athlete killed by her fellow athletes who had grown envious of her; but Athena and Gaia turned her into an olive tree as reward. Theophrastus, in On the Causes of Plants , does not give as systematic and detailed an account of olive husbandry as he does of
8930-522: Was purely a matter of local pride that the Athenians claimed that the olive grew first in Athens. In an archaic Athenian foundation myth , Athena won the patronage of Attica from Poseidon with the gift of the olive. According to the fourth-century BC father of botany, Theophrastus , olive trees ordinarily attained an age around 200 years, he mentions that the very olive tree of Athena still grew on
9025-674: Was reopened in 2022. Founded in 1930, El Quijote became the oldest Spanish restaurant in New York City after the 2012 closing of El Faro Restaurant in the West Village . The restaurant began as an outlying affiliate of Little Spain , on 14th Street in Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. At one time the eatery was known for having many habitués who were refugees of the Spanish Civil War . El Quijote
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