As long as we foodies are hanging out here, I'll mention another word I just ran across: jabali, meaning wild boar? I couldn't get a google translation of this, nor any other web translator, but google images showed a beast that looked like a boar. A taverna in Cordoba, I think, served it. We have had delicious boar in Florence but I didn't know that this was an Andalucian item. Is it a common dish?

PAELLA is from Valencia area, my friends would never order it in Andalusia, I only go to Venta El Tunel which is a place where they have Arroz Caldoso, love it. But them you have to order it before you go, because Paella in general you have to eat it when is cooked and if is cold is no good anymore.

http://www.ventaeltunel.com/

http://www.tripadvisor.es/ShowUserRe...Andalucia.html

Jabali is wild boar. These animals are a nuisance in parts of Europe. I believe it is the same or simlar to the ones served in Tuscany. They are also called feral hogs in the US and are a nuissance in some states here as well.

http://www.brokenarrowranch.com/Shop...one-in-leg.php

Just a bit off subject is cochinillo. That is roast suckling pig. And when prepared currently the waiter or chef will cut the finished pig into large pieces with great flare with the edge of a plate.

The best cochinillo is in Castilla and León. More specifically in Segovia and a town that is dedicated to conchinillo named Arevalo.

Unfortunately, I have not had cochinillo in either town in a number of years, so I am loathe to make restaurant recommendations. But maybe some of the others can.

The Jabali found in Spain are true wild boar, fast and lean. I've seen them as large as 200 kilo in the Navarran Pyrenees, where they are hunted during season. There are enough of them that now there are warning sings posted along the roads throughout the Pyrenees that the govenment is no longer responsible if you happen to hit one and wreck your car. But they do make for a great stew or chorizo.

The Jabali you see on a menu in Spain or France would have been taken by a hunter, so expect the meat to be a little different from what you are used to.

EYW - thank you for such a great post and all the work you put into the list. Bookmarking for my some day trip to Andalusia!

Dee Dee you are most welcome. Food and drink and travel are great hobbies, dare I say obsessions. And thanks to everyone who has submitted additions and corrections.