DeborahAnn

Now that I have our places to stay and the transportation worked out I can start thinking about the foods of Andalucia.

We will be staying in Cordoba, Sevilla, Ronda, Jerez, Mijas and Granada for 3 weeks in March. My husband likes to know the special foods to be found in our travels and I'm not sure other than with so much coastline fish must be on the menu

We love gazpacho soup and I know that is featured in Andalucia but I consider that a summer soup. Will we find that on the menu in March? If not, I know Ron will be very disappointed.

During my research I read about a wine drink that is similar to sangria but not called sangria; can you tell me the name for this drink?

Our first night in Sevilla I hope to reserve a tapas tour so that we become more familiar with a tapas menu. This will be our third trip to Spain and admittedly I tend to rely on the jamon as a "safe" choice which has gotten me into "ham overload" on those two previous trips Don't want to play it that safe this time!!

I'm a much more adventuresome eater than my husband but he is willing to try new foods if he knows what he is eating. Can you recommend where I can find any online descriptions of what we could find on an Andalucian menu?

Thank you for sharing your favorite foods of Andalucia with me. Deborah

BigRuss

Go to a bookstore (those still exist, right?) and check out the DK book for Spain (or Andalusia if one exists) and it will have a section on foods and special dishes.

Spain loves its Iberian ham. Evidently the pigs in Iberia are the greatest swine ever.

Pescado de sal is really good.

Blistered shishito peppers are good too.

Also, Spain is the world's #1 source of Marcona almonds, which the Spaniards fry in olive oil and rosemary. These are not regular almonds, they are a delicacy and cost as such (the yield of usable nuts from a Marcona almond harvest is about 30-40%, regular almonds are 70%+, so there's a lot of almond mulch too - maybe that's fed to the pigs and makes Iberian ham awesome).

The only omelet I ever eat is a Spanish tortilla.

iris1745

Deborah; Not answering your question, but if you find this restaurant I think you both will be very happy.

The four of us loved it and my daughter is fussy.

http://vineriasantelmo.com

Revulgo

Jamón ibérico!
http://www.jamon.com/iberico.html

Cazón en adobo (coastal Andalusia)
http://www.iberianfoods.co.uk/tapas_...n_%20adobo.htm

Lomo de orza (inland Andalusia)
http://www.orceserranohams.com/lomo-de-orza/

Boquerones fritos (Málaga)
http://www.alchemyinthekitchen.ie/20...pily-ever.html

Coquinas (Málaga & Huelva)
http://www.thefoodieslarder.co.uk/re...kles-marinera/

Flamenquines (Córdoba)
http://www.foodsfromspain.com/icex/c...686788,00.html

Ajoblanco
http://spanishfood.about.com/od/soup...eajoblanco.htm

Wonderful Sherry wines
http://www.sherry.org/

Sweet wines from Málaga
http://www.andalucia.com/gastronomy/malagawines.htm

This is a neverending list…

Bedar

If you like seafood, and who doesn't, you must try Conchas Finas, clams on the half shell, bright white and red meat, only to be found in the Malaga area. Just fabulous !!

DeborahAnn

Off topic but is it spelled Andalucia or Andalusia?? Just wondering

Thanks Big Russ, my library should have some of the DK books for Spain, I wondered if Andalusia would have different specialties than generally found in Spain

iris, I'll put that restaurant on my list for Seville. We will be in an apartment for 5 nights--whoppee!!

Revulgo and Bedar, Yummy suggestions, I am so looking forward to our trip Thanks, Deborah

kimhe

Lots of local specialities, and here are some of my favourites:

You will find gazpacho in March also, but I highly recommend the thicker variants Porra (from Antequera) and Salmorejo (from Córdoba). Porra you first and foremost find in the Málaga region (for example Mijas) and salmorejo inland in the Córdoba and Sevilla regions.

Salmorejo: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/6814/salmorejo
Porra: http://www.visitcostadelsol.com/dini...querana-p22371

In Sevilla you must try the extremely rich espinacas con garbanzos (spinach and chickpea-stew), much more flavour and richer than it sounds. A regional pride, and you'll find it in any typical tapas bar/restaurant: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/espinac...arbanzo-beans/

In Córdoba you should try the traditional Rabo de Toro/Oxtail stew, perhaps in Taberna Salinas mentioned in the Michelin guide. http://www.tabernasalinas.com/
http://spanishsabores.com/2013/01/22...-rabo-de-toro/

All over Andalucía, and especially along the coast, fresh fish and seafood is king. Find a good, traditional and no frills freiduría popular with locals, and I can promise you a culinary experience not to forget in a long time. Here are two of my favourites in the Málaga region where we have splurged on several occasions. Similar places all around, especially along the coast:
La Marina in Nerja: http://www.guideofnerja.com/pages/gu.../marina_en.htm
La Cueva in Torre del Mar: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Andalucia.html

Freiduría Villalba in Mijas sounds like the real deal: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Andalucia.html

When in the Málaga region, you must have Conchas finas, a local pride and taste a mix of pure sea and heaven:
https://www.google.no/search?q=Conch...w=1600&bih=754

I love the Málaga speciality, Carne/magra con tomate:
http://myspanishcuisine.com/recipes/carne-con-tomate/

As you know, Andalucía is perhaps the most dead serious cured ham region in the world, and you should stick to the best, that is Jamón Ibérico de Bellota (preferably from Jabugo in the Huelva region). Totally another world than the ordinary jamón serrano that most people know. It should be handcut there and then. Expect to pay some 20-25€ for a small plate. http://serraniadejabugo.com/
http://www.jamon.com/iberico.html

In Jerez, you have of course the world famous Jerez wine and brandy. http://www.spain.info/en/que-quieres...-de-jerez.html
http://www.guiarepsol.com/es_en/gast..._de_jerez.aspx

In Córdoba, you have the dry and delicious Montilla-Moriles wines: http://www.rutadelvinomontillamoriles.com/en/

In the Málaga region, you have all the varieties of the sweet Málaga wines: http://www.wine-searcher.com/regions-malaga

Excellent guide of tapas bars and restaurants in Sevilla, from the most traditional to the most cutting edge. Azahar lives in Sevilla and knows what she's talking about. Recommendations by barrios/districts: http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas/

kimhe

<Our first night in Sevilla I hope to reserve a tapas tour>

And Azahar does tapas tours in Sevilla that get raving reviews:
http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletap...rs/tapas-tour/
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attract...Andalucia.html

DeborahAnn

kimhe, I am very appreciative of the helpful information you provide on Fodors for Andalucia. I'm adding all these delicious foods to my notes. I'm afraid that once again there will be more foods to try than we will have time for unless I can figure out a way to substitute eating for sleeping on this trip

Thanks for providing the link to Azahar. I remember I was a little put off by a comment I read on Fodors about this company where the person spent much of the tour time texting on her phone, which is a "pet peeve" of mine. I did, also, find another company called "Not Just a Tourist" in Seville that also does tapa tours and is also rated highly on TA. Do you have any comments about this company? Thanks again, Deborah

yorkshire

While at the library, check out the books of the late, great Penelope Casas. enjoy!

DeborahAnn

Yorkshire, I find it very hard to believe that our local library system, which was named Library of the Year 2013 by the Library Journal Magazine does not have a single book by Penelope Casas!!!--I wonder if the library takes purchase requests??? I did find her books on Amazon, they look wonderful. Thanks, Deborah

Bedar

Penelope's book, Discovering Spain: an uncommon guide, is wonderful, but the copyrights are 1992 and 1996. Better to borrow it thru interlibrary loan or get a used copy from Amazon.

The term, in Spanish, is Andalucia. The govt. of the region is the Junta de Andalucia.

kimhe

Have no personal experiences with any organized tapas tour, but Azahar has posted here a lot and obviously knows her Sevilla food world.

Or you could do one of these tours on your own. Both old and new, traditional and cutting edge:

In the local feel central area just north of C/Alfonso XII
- El Rinconcillo from 1670, the oldest existing in Spain: http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletap...l-rinconcillo/
- La Azotea: http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletap...ory/la-azotea/
- Eslava: http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas/category/eslava/
- Bodega Dos de Mayo: http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletap...a-dos-de-mayo/

In and around very popular Santa Cruz/close to the Cathedral (Arenal):
- Enrique Becerra:
http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletap...rique-becerra/
- Bodegas Diaz Salazar: http://www.minube.com/fotos/rincon/1...slideshow-mode
http://www.bodegasdiazsalazar.com/
- Las Teresas: http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletap...a-dos-de-mayo/
- Bodega Santa Cruz (Las Columnas): http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletap...ga-santa-cruz/

stokebailey

We'll be in Seville in March for our first time, Deborah, so I'm glad to tap into these recommendations.

jamikins

One thing to note is that gazpacho as we knew it in Canada was nothing like the stuff in Portugal! We were expecting a think tomato based pureed soup and it was not like that at all! It was clear base with veggies in it and dried bread. Very yummy, but not at all what we were expecting

IMDonehere

Jamikins

Ethnic, regional, and country foods always taste different in their place of origin. Among the variants are the quality and type of ingredients, water, freshness, cooking utensils, and cooking techniques. Frankly, I am surprised when the food in our home town tastes like the original.

DeborahAnn

stokebailey--I thought it was going to be all about the gazpacho and ham!!!--wrong, what amazing foods to be found in Andalucia, I can't wait. When will you be in Seville?

yikes, jamikins, how can gazpacho not be tomato based--the only difference I know is if the veggie are chopped or pureed

kimhe, I hope these typical foods come with instructions if there is any table side preparation I will need to do to eat them. Someone watching me eat soft shell crab for the first time would have had a really good laugh!! Deborah

jamikins

IMDonehere - I travel ALOT and am very aware of this. Thanks for the tip hahaha.

stokebailey

My daughter and I will be in Seville the 2nd week of March, staying in Triana. Looking forward to our first authentic tapas and tortillas.

BigRuss

The Spanish tortilla is a tapa. It is a potato-and-egg omelette.

Tortillas that are flat bread of wheat or corn are not Spanish, they originate from pre-Columbian Mexico.