Learning to Cook Like a Local in in Seville, Spain
“Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” – James Beard
Food is deeply intertwined with our travel experiences. We seek it out because it is essential, but it also has the power to bridge language gaps and background differences between travelers and local communities. It can help us better understand other cultures and the traditions that are important to them. And it is often strongly connected to the memories we carry home.
In Seville, ASA students enjoy a hands-on cooking experience each term, to learn how to re-create some of the dishes that are meaningful to the region. The team at Taller Andaluz de Cocina lead them through a few recipes and, at the end, the group will sit down to enjoy this meal together.
“The cooking class and dinner to follow is not only a genuinely fun experience, but the bilingual chefs teach our students about where foods originate from, how to incorporate them into dishes and all the gastronomical vocabulary along the way,” said ASA Seville Program Coordinator Alexa Freeman. “The cooking class is my absolute favorite thing to do with students - learning to make meals true to the culture and then eating them––what a great night!”
Paella is always on the agenda; the other dish students cook will depend on the group’s dietary restrictions at the time as well as their taste preferences generally. Our Spring 2022 group, who feature in these photos, chose patatas aliñadas, a Spanish-style potato salad type of tapa typical in Andalusia. Previously, classes have chosen to make gazpacho or salmorejo (both tomato-based soups that are eaten cold) or even espinacas con garbanzos (a typical dish of spinach and chickpeas)–all of which are very popular locally.
"The cooking class was very cool! Making traditional paella with an experienced chef was very entertaining and lots of fun,” said Spesioza Moriasi, who joined the ASA group in Spring 2022.
Among many other typical dishes, some foods to try on a trip to Seville include jamón ibérico (Iberian ham) lentejas (lentils) carrillada (pork cheek), cazón en adobo (fried fish dish), ensaladilla rusa (Russian salad), albóndigas de choco (cuttlefish meatballs), croquetas (croquettes), Rabo de toro (bull tail), Zanahorias aliñadas (marinated carrots), Roscos fritos (fried donuts), and Payoyo Cheese (goat cheese).
As in many cultures, food––and the rituals surrounding its preparation and consumption––is a bit different from the approach to food in the US, so it’s best to keep an open mind while traveling. For example, breakfast is often followed by a mid-morning snack because lunch (the biggest meal of the day) isn’t until 2-4pm. Around 5-6pm, there is a merienda (a snack) to tide you over until a late dinner around 9-10pm. Tapas culture means meals are often shared from small plates rather than each individual ordering their own choice from a menu. And, one of our favorite food-related traditions? The “sobremesa” which involves hanging around after a meal for a long chat that usually starts with food and ends with passionate discussions around anything from soccer to politics.