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On Location: Valencian Rituals
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The Spanish people take food and drink seriously, and visitors soon learn to do the same
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BY BARBARA PECK
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| Traditional paella—a Valencian classic; whole hams—the prized jamon iberico—hanging in Valencia’s Central Market. |
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HAM-OBSESSED
This was my first trip to Spain, and I wasn’t prepared for the way Spaniards revere their ham. The coveted jamón ibérico is sold at every market; whole ones swing from ceilings and racks in countless bars and restaurants. These hams usually come from black Iberian pigs fed on acorns (bellota) for the final months of their lives. The curing process takes as long as four years, which explains the price: jamón ibérico can fetch more than $50 per pound. It’s served in paper-thin slices—dark red, well marbled and so delicate that you barely need to chew; the meat almost melts on your tongue.
All this can make Spanish restaurants a challenge for vegetarians, including the one on my trip. When we visited the Palacio de la Bellota for our last dinner in Valencia, the pungent scent of ham hit us as we walked in the door. So many hams were hanging overhead that I couldn’t even see the ceiling. But one bite of this sweet, nutty-flavored meat was enough to induce my vegan friend to make a single dietary exception.
WATCH, THEN DRINK
Spaniards consume a huge amount of wine in restaurants, of course. But you might be surprised to learn that the gin and tonic is a current drink of choice in Valencia. It’s worth ordering one at an upscale spot just to watch it being prepared at your table. After painstakingly slicing a piece of lemon peel, your waitperson seizes it between two sets of tongs and wiggles it delicately above an ice-filled glass to spritz lemon oil onto the ice. Then repeats. The result is deliciously refreshing.
It’s also a treat to watch hard cider being served. Upstairs in the Basque tapas bar Sagardi, barrels of Zapiain cider line the walls (6 San Vicente Mártir; 34-963-910-668). When you order one, your waiter positions your mug several feet under the spigot and theatrically pours the cider out in a long golden stream, apparently allowing it to breathe.
PAELLA TRADITIONS
Valencians hold firm opinions about how to make this rice dish, which originated there, and when to eat it. Ideally, it’s cooked over an open fire that’s fed slowly with twigs (preferably from an olive or orange tree) to control the heat and give it a smoky flavor. Though many different ingredients can be used, Valencian paella traditionally consists of snails called vaquetas, flat green beans, chicken and rabbit. The rice should be bomba rice, a specially absorbent variety. You want it to be al dente—not mushy—when the dish is done, and slightly toasted at the bottom (there’s even a name for that crust: socarrat).
Valencians insist that paella should only be eaten for lunch—it’s “too heavy” a dish for the evening meal, they’ll tell you. And while nobody’s very strict about the word’s usage, “paella” actually means the cooking utensil itself—a round, shallow pan with two handles. The big shocker: No one seems to add saffron! Instead the dish gets its tawny color from a powdered colorante (which most likely contains not even a trace amount of pricey saffron).
While you can get excellent paella in many Valencia restaurants, it’s fun to make a trip to the Albufera lagoon south of the city for lunch at La Matandeta, a traditional restaurant among the rice fields (Km. 4 Carr. Alfafar–El Saler; lamatandeta.es; 34-962-112-184). If you’re traveling with a group and have an afternoon to spare, you can book a cooking lesson here and learn how you can prepare the dish back home (lesson with meal, $72 USD per person for groups of 10 or more). Just remember to pick up some colorante at the market before you leave for home!
NOTE: Information may have changed since publication. Please confirm key details before planning your trip.
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Published: July 6, 2011
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Photos: Valencia Tourism; Barbara Peck
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