After six days of a guided journey of Spain, with events and lectures that covered its history, architecture, and cultural elements, it was on day 7 that we were left with a daunting blank space in our itinerary. The entire day was ours to mold however we saw fit, to emphasize and take the deep dive on any aspect of the Spanish way of life. To me, when it comes to immersing myself in a foreign land, there is no better way to go about it than a proper restaurant rush; a day of scoping out the ideal spots for some of Spain’s signature dishes that capture what sets the cuisine here apart from any of the ones I’ve enjoyed throughout my entire life. These are just a few of the dishes and restaurants I tried on my day of Sevillian gastronomic exploration.
Bull’s Tail Croquetas
Stationed near the edge of the Los Remedios district in Seville on C. Monte Carmelo Street, the roasted-meat-specializing restaurant Ruta 2 (Route 2) stands tall with glowing online reviews that I could not afford to ignore. I headed straight over there around lunch time and was enticed with the idea of a peculiar sounding meal: croquetas de cola de toro (croquettes of bull’s tail). While I am by no means a stranger to meat dishes (with beef and pork being very common in the cuisines I frequently eat), I had never had the meat of a bull’s tail, nor had I ever even considered the idea of cooking and eating a bull’s tail prior to today. However, it is a very typical dish in Spain that can be found in many restaurants throughout the country. After our tour of the Plaza de Toros from Tuesday, it is very interesting to consider how the popularity of such a dish could be related to Spain’s long-standing tradition of bull fighting. Even if the origins of the meal date back to before bull fighting, there could still be a causality in terms of the dish becoming a staple of the food culture or spreading throughout the country the way it did. This historical context made the dining experience feel much more unique and authentic for me. The fried croquette shells were perfectly crispy and well-seasoned, housing a very rich and brothy bull tail stew that was piping hot. The flavor of the meat was immaculate, noticeably different from any other meat I’ve had but not to an outlandish degree. It was a hearty and surprisingly filling meal that made the thirty-minute walk to the restaurant worth it, eaten alongside an order of yuca frita (fried cassava), a tuber whose flavor profile wipes the floor with that of french fries.
Pringa and Garlic Shrimp Combo
Most of the restaurants I went to today were ones I had not gone to earlier in the week, but there was one exception that I just had to return to: El Favorito. It was here that I decided to try not one, but two more of Spain’s signature dishes. Pringa is another very commonly found Spanish dish that involves slow cooking meat (typically pork or beef) and spreading it on bread to create a warm and savory sandwich. The bread was nice and toasted with the most tender pork spread inside. It was an amazingly satisfying tapa that left me wishing they had a much larger portion size. Along with the pringa, I ordered a full serving of a dish I kept seeing recommendations for called gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp). I expected and received the intense flavor of delicious shrimp meat tossed in a strong but not overbearing garlic sauce, working together in perfect harmony. What I did not expect was the amount of kick to it completely coming out of left field. I did not think a dish like this would be made to be spicy and was pleasantly surprised. I personally love spicy food, so I am glad it was able to be incorporated here in a way that was not solely the patatas bravas, whose spice levels pale to what the gambas al ajillo made me feel. Perhaps it was just this restaurant’s special way of preparing it. Regardless, it was an absolutely addicting meal that involved two very traditional elements of Spanish cuisine (seafood and pork) in exciting and stimulating contexts that balanced with each other well.
Sweet Treats from Spain
Tasting dinners and tapas is not enough. I wouldn’t dare to leave Spain without at least trying the sweeter end of their food spectrum, and from what I found in my research there were two that really caught my eye. The first was a fried and honey glazed pastry known as a pestiño. These are considered a Christmas or Semana Santa treat and are particularly popular in the Andalusian region of Spain. I wanted to make sure to try something that is special to the region we were in, something that I would struggle to find an equivalent to in America, and pestiños were definitely the way to go. There was even a store in Seville that sold boxes of them handmade by nuns as they have done for years and years. I also tried another Spanish sweet treat known as a polvorón, an almond cookie that was dusted with sugar. They are also a part of traditional preparation in Spain, though they exist in other Spanish speaking countries as well. Between the brittle texture and strong, unique honey flavoring of the pestiños and the almost cake-like, sweet and subtly nuttiness of the almond cookie, I would have to give the edge to the polvorón.
Closing
As someone who puts food at the top of my list of enjoyment factors in a foreign land, I can undoubtedly say that Seville passed with flying colors. The variety of succulent flavors even when using the same ingredients and the dishes that are so embedded in tradition make it an experience one must have at least once in their life. The Friday free day allowed to me the opportunity to explore the extent of gastronomy in the Andalusian region of Spain. I can now say that some of the best meals I have ever had have come from my trip to Spain. I am so glad I was able to participate in this study abroad, a program that perpetually bombarded me with fun after fun and never relented. Views of the vibrant city, lectures and deep dives into the culture, and interactions with incredible people all sandwiched between unforgettable food trips. I have a sincere appreciation for everyone who made it possible, and I have a plan to one day return and continue the hunt for deliciousness.
