Discover the History of Costa Blanca on a Platter

It is often said that eating in a foreign country is the surest and easiest way to get to know about its culture.This stands especially true for tourists who want to enjoy a slice of Spain during their vacation at the Costa Blanca. While some of the dishes are typical of Spain, no matter which corner of the country you visit, some are exclusive to the region.

If you dare to go beyond the usual pizzas and chips and instead try the local cuisine, you will find some of the most delectable and scrumptious dishes you have ever had, served to you. The food served in Costa Blanca bears testimony to the long history and culture of the place. We have picked some of the best delicacies and preparations which we think best exemplifies the unique food culture of Costa Blanca:

Paella: Paella is an exclusive dish best served in Valencia. And this is because the region produces the best quality of rice in the entire Europe which also happens to be the main ingredient of Paella. What is interesting about the dish is that rice cultivation was brought by Moors in the 10th century and incorporated as a staple dish by the 15th century! So the dish is a nice mix of various cultures which found home in Spain. A variety of Paella is served at Valencia depending on preference for seafood over meat or other vegetarian alternatives. Red prawns: With over 300 restaurants, Denia is every foodie’s paradise. The beautiful town, which was once a fishing village, now attracts a number of tourists for its thriving food culture. They say there is so much to offer here that even the fussiest of the people would find something to satiate their taste buds. The town held on to its roots and serves the most unbelievably red and tastiest prawns in the entire continent or if you believe the locals, maybe even the world.

Turron: Turron is a type of nougat which is, once again, believed to have been introduced in Spain by Arab settlers. Initially, all turrons were prepared in almost the same way, but off-late they are prepared in different flavours and varieties. The sweet dish is full of nuts, dried fruits and honey and could either be hard and brittle or soft and chewy. Salazones: Salting the fish and drying it in the sun is probably the oldest way of preserving it and the tradition goes back to at least 4th century BC. What is exclusive about Costa Blanca is the different kinds of food that use such traditionally preserved fish such as, mojama, roe, bonito, cod and chaplain. It is often recommended to those who are new to Salazones to try it as a part of snacks and salads. Otherwise, one can also try it when it used as one of the ingredients in a variety of dishes typical of the region, such as pericana and pebrereta.

Doesn’t all this sound delicious? So, ready for some food adventure? After all, you need to taste a culture to understand it!