Spanish cuisine

There's no unified notion of Spanish cuisine as one separate phenomenon as it may be divided into regional cuisines having their own peculiarities. This is explained partially by the geographical factor as the meals made in one particular area directly depend on the products that may be found there. Thus, dwellers of coastal territories eat a lot of fish (though even fish may be divided into two types because Spain is surrounded by two seas). On the other hand, Spain is a mountainous country. This means that depending on the altitude the climate may be different, for example in lowlands the climate is usually warm, but there are lots of rains, which determines the types of products that can be grown here. Among the products common for all Spaniards are egg desserts and exclusively white bread.

In general, Spanish meals are plain, but due to the spices like saffron they are rich with delicate taste. As a special flavouring for soups and salads olive oil is used. It is considered to be the most useful of all oils for the human organism. Most often Spanish cooks prepare meals with fish, marine products, leguminous plants and rice. Tomatoes, paprika, potatoes, eggs, garlic, onions, olives, almond and wine are most often used as ingredients.

Speaking about the peculiarities that unite Spanish cuisine with other national cuisines, the Spaniards believe that their cuisine is connected with the Italian one by the use of olive oil in cooking meals, and with the German one by the presence of a lot of meals with pork.