Food Culture in Spain

by F. Xavier Medina Ph.D.

Overview

Spanish food culture has evolved around strong regional cuisines and representative elements. This volume offers an overview of Spanish food and eating habits, taking into account a long and complex history, plus distinctive social, cultural, linguistic, geographic, political, and economic characteristics. Spain's location at the crossroads of Europe and North Africa has made it a gastronomic melting pot, with Arab influences and New World ingredients particularly noted. Readers will learn about the unique food culture in each region and how food practices and dishes in the Iberian Peninsula have developed over the centuries. Typical dishes and drinks, especially the Spanish wines, are described in context, with many accompanying recipes.

Gastronomy in Spain has always been of utmost importance. Recently, the new Spanish gastronomy has taken center stage with internationally recognized chefs. Spaniards are shown to be extremely social eaters and drinkers who like to eat out. The everyday routine of eating out, such as at work and school, is clarified as well. Home cooking and the Spanish kitchen get special attention. Finally, although Spanish food has always been associated with the highly touted Mediterranean diet, health concerns about current eating trends are discussed. A timeline, a chronology, and illustrations round out the coverage.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313328190
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	01/30/2005
Series:	Food Culture around the World
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

F. Xavier Medina is Senior Researcher in the Department of Mediterranean Cultures at the European Institute of the Mediterranean, Barcelona, Spain. He is also the president of the Spanish section of the International Commission on the Anthropology of Food and the general editor of the jourbanal Anthropology of Food.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Timeline
Historical Overview
Major Foods and Ingredients
Cooking
Typical Meals and Cuisine by Region
Eating Out
Special Occasions: Holidays, Celebrations and Religious Rituals
Diet and Health
Glossary
Resource Guide
Bibliography

Editorial Reviews

[C]overs typical dishes and drinks, Spanish wines, the evolution of home and restaurant cooking, and more.” —MBR Bookwatch

“[P]rovides an overview of Spanish food and eating habits, taking into account the history and distinctive social, cultural, linguistic, geographical, political, and economic characteristics. Coverage includes the food culture in each region, how food practices and dishes in the Iberian Peninsula have developed over the centuries, and descriptions of typical dishes and drinks, especially Spanish wines, with many accompanying recipes. Other topics include typical meals, eating out, special occasions, and diet and health.” —Reference & Research Book News

“Spanish food culture has evolved around strong regional cuisines and representative elements. This volume offers an overview of Spanish food and eating habits, taking into account a long and complex history, plus distinctive social, cultural, linguistic, geographic, political, and economic characteristics. Spain's location at the crossroads of Europe and North Africa has made it a gastronomic melting pot, with Arab influences and New World ingredients particularly noted. Readers will learn about the unique food culture in each region and how food practices and dishes in the Iberian Peninsula have developed over the centuries. Typical dishes and drinks, especially the Spanish wines, are described in context, with many accompanying recipes.” —Ideolo.com Books

“Students taking cooking classes will enjoy this, as well as students looking for up-to-date information on Spain as they are researching in geography classes. Highly recommended.” —Gale Reference for Students

“Appropriate to high school, public and academic libraries.” —Lawrence Looks at Books

From the Publisher