 |
| Chocolate with churros! |
A big insight into a culture is the food, and Spanish food is incredible! From tapas to paella, there were many restaurants to choose from. But with the array of dishes offered abroad, it is important to know the eating times in Madrid.
Breakfast is usually around 7:00 am and includes coffee (strong) and/or juice with yogurt and fruit. Lunch or “la comida” is served between 2:00-3:00 pm in the afternoon. The main dish is usually accompanied by a plate of salad, a baguette, and a side.
Dinner, which was difficult to adjusted to, is served after 10:00pm. Dinner for most people consists of tapas and drinks, and is meant for socializing with friends. Tapas is a broad term for finger foods. They are usually appetizers, the most popular being “croquetas” which are fried ham and cheese balls, pieces of bread with ham and cheese, and “patatas bravas” which are minced, cooked potatoes topped with a mild sauce. For lunch, we had different dishes.
My favorite was a Spanish tortilla. Now this isn’t the soft tortillas people use with tacos or burritos. This tortilla is more of an omelette with eggs and potatoes. Paella is usually the signature dish in Spain, as it consists of seafood, and Spain being in the Iberian Peninsula.
Paella is rice mixed with shrimp, calamari, and other seafood, but there is also a vegan or squid ink rice option! A simple yet delicious pastry that can also be eaten as breakfast, chocolate with churros.
We visited the famous, “Chocolatería San Ginés”. This bakery has been around since 1894 and their walls are covered with pictures of famous celebrities visiting the establishment. The best part of Spanish cuisine is that everything is savory and leaves you satisfied. After lunch, the big meal, I took an afternoon siesta!
--
To find out more about the Spanish in Madrid summer program, visit http://studyabroad.uark.edu/madrid.
To find out more about the Spanish in Madrid summer program, visit http://studyabroad.uark.edu/madrid.
