The thing that amazed me the most when I just moved to Madrid was the amount of time Spaniards can spend talking about food. The same way as I realized why English can dedicate a lengthy conversation to weather, I discovered why madrileños can spend hours talking about food. In England the weather is a continuous disaster, it interferes with your life, it determines your energy levels, it is the major factor in planning your free time and most of the time it is not pleasant, so it is necessary to vent and to seek consolation. In Spain, and even more so in Madrid, food and gastronomy is also your life's determining factor, but in a positive way...

The variety of delicious options is so vast that your daily routine turns into a continuous gastronomical experience, which you just need to share with the world, and don't be baffled to hear "so, for dinner we'll make... / we'll go to... " during (not even after) an amazingly delicious lunch. Everyone has their list of the best places to eat this or another specialty, and the recipes of traditional dishes like tortilla de patata (Spanish omelet) or lentejas (lentils) is a matter of personal pride and a source for the sense of self-achievement.

Spaniards really do have refined palate and even children will prefer having simple pasta (which is difficult to ruin) rather than a not-so-great and chewy meat. They grow up being able to distinguish between at least 10 different meat cuts, 5 types of jamon (cured pig), 10 types of fish, 20 types of cheese and infinite kinds of wines and seafood. Good quality and tasty food in Spain is accessible and abundant, so even the most humble Spanish villager will choose better than an average foreigner.

Spaniards value simplicity in their recipes as they are used to quality ingredients that don't need masking of the taste, and they will always prefer a grilled steak from Galician cow to an elaborate and fancy plate from a renowned restaurant. Most likely you will too, once you try that Galician cow. And then, for example, shrimps... Try grilled white shrimps from this place right next to my house and tell me if you have ever tried anything remotely close in terms of freshness, juiciness, smell, texture... Well, well, well... the lunch time is still 2 hours away and I am already thinking and writing about food. So, the foodie attitude is contagious here in Madrid and it really makes a difference to do the tasting and learn about gastronomical traditions from the Spaniards themselves. Even if you are not that much into eating, here food is a big part of an ancient and rich culture, and if you miss experiencing it – consider you haven’t been to Spain. And, by the way, the best souvenirs from Spain are olive oil, jamon, wine and cheese. Forget about magnets and castanets.

It would have been unforgivable if we didn't offer Gastronomix Tour: A Comprehensive Tasting and Cultural Tour around Madrid

Author: Natalia