I recently returned from a ten-day stay in Spain. Today’s post is the first of three in my Postcards from Spain series. I am sharing this postcard before the next two “sightseeing” postcards for the following reasons:
- I learned something new about food and drink in Spain.
- Eating out in a foreign country is a cultural experience that can make or break a trip, or affect one’s overall impression of the country.
- It takes less time for me to write this postcard than the next two so I start with what’s quick and easy.
In Pictures
Spain produces and exports olive oil, wines, vegetables and fruits, to name a few. In southern Spain, the land is covered with olive trees, almond trees, vineyards, green houses, and orange groves. There are many good food options and tempting desserts. This is a sampling of what was on my plate when I was there.
What I Learned
- Tinto de verano with ice is a refreshing drink made of red wine and soft soda (Sprite, 7-up). It is similar to Sangria but with less sugar.
- Tapas are small plates that are great to sample and enjoy a variety of dishes and flavors.
- Serrano ham is good; Iberico ham is better.
- Pan tomaca is a dish with slices of bread and tomato cut in half. Squeeze the tomato juice or rub it on the bread, add olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and other toppings as desired.
- Paella is best made with bomba rice.
- Agua de Valencia is a drink made of champagne and Valencia’s delicious orange juice.
- Horchata de chufa is a flagship milky drink in Valencia. It’s sweet, refreshing and vegan-friendly. Horchata is made from chufa, a tuber (also known as earth almond or tiger nut) and sugar cane juice.
- Fartons (yes, seriously), an elongated confectionary glazed with sugar, usually accompany and to be dipped in horchata.
Public Art
The bull is the national animal of Spain and a symbolic figure in Spanish culture. I saw some of the Osborne bulls installed on hilltops and along roadways throughout much of Spain. The Osborne bull is a black silhouetted image of a bull in semi-profile. This colourful mosaic bull is much easier (and prettier) to photograph.
Link-Up
This post is my contribution to Donna’s #WOYP challenge.
I’d love for you to share your week’s highlights and/ or public art from around the world in the Comments or Weekend Coffee Share link-up #152 below.
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Natalie the Explorer 
There is so much that I wouldn’t understand about the food in Spain. lol. But it would be quite an adventure to discover!
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Lisa, Discovering food in a foreign country is definitely an adventure. Spain offers many good food options if you’re willing to try 🙂
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Tinto de verano is my favourite drink and we love patatas bravo. Tostada y tomato is popular for breakfast and I make an excellent paella. The food in Spain is so good and reported to be very healthy for you. Tapas is such a great idea, if you end up not liking something, you aren’t wasting much. Glad you enjoyed the food.
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Darlene, I’d love to learn how to make paella from you. I see a cooking session to be booked with you when we have an opportunity to meet up in Spain 🙂 I prefer tinto de verano to sangria. One can eat very healthy in Spain using the locally-produced vegetables, fruits and olive oil.
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That would be so much fun. Yes, you can eat very healthy here.
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Now I’m hungry! 🙂
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Looks like you’ve also had good food in Bolivia 🙂
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We sure did in La Paz, which appeared to be quite a foodie “capital” in South America. 🙂
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Oh, I’ve enjoyed all those. Our favourite breakfast in Spain is fresh squeezed orange juice. and pa amb tomàquet, as it’s called in Catalonia with a cup of strong coffee. Bliss!
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I loved having that delicious breakfast, too.
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I love the idea of a postcard series. It has a whimsical and romantic feel to it.
The mosaic bull is really pretty and fun.
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Postcards in the mail are such a rare thing these days so I do virtual postcards on my blog. The practical reason is they are shorter to write 🙂
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It is the same with Christmas cards in the mail. I love sending cards out at the beginning of December, and I absolutely love receiving them but hardly anyone observes that tradition anymore.
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Yes, it’s rare to receive personal, pen and paper mail.
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Ah, I’ve been waiting to get a postcard from Spain from you! Yay, it finally came! Spain is much like Central California, where we lived. The crops are identical as are the bulls. Ours are used for rodeos and food, though. Valencia Street is the main street through Woodlake as oranges are the main crop because of it micro climate, which is a little warmer than all the surrounding areas. We love Agua de Valencias when we go someplace special for breakfast. I enjoyed your post, as always, Natalie. 🙂
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Hi Marsha, I have all these ideas to write and so little time. I’m pleased you enjoyed my post. I remember seeing a lot of orange farms when I drove on the Pacific Coast Highway in CA. CA climate is so good to grow many fruit trees.
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I am sure you have lots of ideas! You go all over the place, and see so many things. You have years ahead of you, so take great notes!
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Will do. Thank you for the advice.
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You’ve got enough material to go on for the rest of your life, if all you do is blog. But that’s not what’s going to happen. 🙂
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LOL…I hope to keep blogging a small part and traveling a bigger part of my life. Blogging is so time-consuming, I’m looking for ways to optimize my time 🙂
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When you figure that out, you can write a best-seller in your spare time, from your apartment in Paris overlooking the River Seine. 🙂
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I’ll write and ask for your help with editing. I’ll need to sell a lot of books to be in that Paris apartment overlooking the River Seine 🙂
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I’m happy to help, especially if you invite me over for a few days! 🙂 We can share come coffee and a French baguette.
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Natalie, what a wonderful quick culinary tour of Spain and the food photos all look so enticing! I love paella (veggie, mind) and the Pan tomaca sounds delicious! The colourful bull is impressive and yes, I can well imagine much more photogenic! I look forward to your other Postcards from Spain. Enjoy settling back home! ❤️
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Annika, Vegetarians would have no difficulty to eat well in Spain. Fresh vegetables, fruits and olive oil are abundant. I’m pleased you enjoyed my postcard. Thank you for stopping by.
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Off to a good start, and glad to see you didn’t go hungry.
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I was hoping my walks would take off the calories from my eating well while I was in Spain 🙂
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😁🩷
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Looks like you ate well! Pan con tomate is always good.
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The tomatoes taste really good there.
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We loved Spain, Natalie so thank you for your post which brought back lovely memories of our trip a few years ago. I purchased a mosiac piece of a couple entwined in an embrace which is beautiful. The food is delicious and I remember ordering a glass of sangria and it was more like a bucket it was so large!! Thanks for #weekendcoffeeshare and have a lovely week. x
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Hi Sue, Thank you for sharing your travel experience in Spain with me. After learning about tinto de verano (from a bartender), I prefer it to sangria. Cheers!
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I am very jealous of the food! Yum! We got those cows in Sydeny once – all over the place. I forget why. Seeing that one made me smile….Great post!
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Toronto had a moose art campaign several years ago. I’m pleased you enjoyed my post 🙂
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Looks like a delicious trip! One thing I remember (and not very fondly at all!) was the food we had on our high school trip to France. I get that we were high school and they were trying to keep the costs down but aside from our breakfast baguette and croissant the rest of our meals were so sub par; lots of gristly cuts of meat that were hard to chew in mystery meat sauces… it’s such a shame because I know the French are known for their food!
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That’s too bad about the food they served you on your school trip to France. I hope you get to enjoy some delicious French food either close to home or in France.
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Food in Spain as compared to other European countries works best with my taste buds. Looks so yum.
Will wait for the rest of your Spain experience
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I hope to finish my next postcard in time for this coming Friday 🙂
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Will happily wait for that. 👍
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I am a vegetarian but your food pictures are beautiful. Hope to see more Spain pictures.
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Thank you, Ganga, for your comment. Vegetarians can eat very well in Spain with locally-produced vegetables, fruits and olive oil.
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Hi, Natalie – I learned a lot from this post as well. When I first opened this page, I thought that the initial photo was of Sangria. That sent me down a huge rabbit hole. Not only is Tinto de Verano lower in sugar, it is also lower in lower alcohol content, making it a lighter and more suitable option for casual occasions. Seriously, I’ve been to Spain several times and never realized there was even a thing called tinto de verano. I probably drank some and thought it was sangria.
Thank you for joining us for #WOYP. I look forward to your remaining Spanish postcards.
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Hi Donna, I learned about tinto de verano from a Spanish bartender. I prefer it to sangria since it has lower sugar and alcohol content than sangria. Thank you for hosting #WOYP. I hope I finish my next postcard from Spain in time for this coming Friday.
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Sounds like you had a good time, and ate some great food, on your trip to Spain. Looking forward to the next two installments! Have a great weekend 🙂
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Thank you Trent for your comment. I enjoyed my trip to Spain very much. How to capture the good bits in short posts is a challenge 🙂
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Ooh, now I’m hungry – I love tapas as I enjoy picking at a variety of different things! The bull is fun too 🙂
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Sarah, I love tapas, too. I’m pleased you like that mosaic bull. Its colours are fun to look at.
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I’ve wanted to revisit Spain, was there as a teenager. It looks pretty and yummy and inviting. So happy you share your travels here. Thank you.
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You’re welcome, Ally. I try not to write long posts or include too many photos when I share my travels. I’m happy when I receive positive feedback like yours.
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I’d want to eat all of this!
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Hard to resist good and nicely presented food.
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The food is Spain is so good! I have had everything on your list. I especially love their ham and patatas bravas.
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The patatas bravas are so good there; they change my view about potatoes.
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So much good food! I love Tinto de Verano, the perfect summer drink 🙂 I really enjoyed this postcard and look forward to the next 🙂
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Maria, Thank you for your comment. It made me happy to hear that you enjoyed this postcard. I hope to finish the next postcard in time for this coming Friday 🙂
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Wonderful!
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That bull is colorful & looks fun to take pictures of. I enjoy trying different foods when I go places. I think I would enjoy having the tapas, trying a little of several different foods.
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I like the happy colours on that bull. Tapas are great to try a little of different dishes.
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I am not surprised that the bull is their national animal. It’s what one always thinks of in regards to Spain. That and tapas and olives and beaches and hot days! I am so glad your trip was wonderful. I look forward to more of the posts. Like you I love to immerse myself in the local food and drink. Bernie PS. I managed to include a post for the weekend coffee share from one of my blogs! B
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Bernie, I lucked out with the weather and visiting Spain in low season was so nice. Thank you for linking up. I’ll do my round of reading blogs and commenting soon.
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How lovely! Spanish food is my favourite cuisine, especially tapas. They do it so well. The bull is cleverly made. We had a road trip in Spain quite a few years ago now. Loved every minute.
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Tapas go well with a glass of tinto de verano. A road trip in Spain sounds wonderful. I love Spain and Toronto has direct flights to Madrid so I know I’ll be back.
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Thank you Ali for your postcard. I’ll be over to your blog shortly.
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Already, you have placed Spain on my “Want To Visit” list.
Thanks Natalie. Your photos and descriptions of the different foods available are wonderful.
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Gary, Thank you for your positive feedback. Spain is a beautiful country. I try to document a few highlights and keep my post short.
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You sure enjoyed the wonderful food Spain has to offer, Natalie! The helpful tips are great, too!
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Terri, I had a wonderful trip to Spain. I learned something new about food and drink there that I’m happy to share on my blog. Thank you for stopping by.
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Spain is definitely on my bucket list. The food looks and sounds amazing. My husband and I are planning a trip there maybe next year if everything works out. It looks like a fantastic time.
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Lisa, I hope your travel plan to Spain works out. If possible, go in low season (less crowded) and avoid summer months when southern Spain gets really hot and humid.
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Thanks for the advice. Will do.
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So very cool. All that food looks so yummy. It is truly a place that I would love to visit. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you have a wonderful week.
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Thank you Patrick for your comment. Spain has a lot of good things to offer to its visitors. Have a great week ahead!
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The food looks so scrumptious. Thanks for the virtual banquet.
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Antoinette, Thank you for your comment. Spain has many good dishes to enjoy.
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This reminds me that I need to go back to Spain, it’s been two years.
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Thank you for your visit and comment. Spain is a country that one can go back again and again.
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I did not know there were different kinds of horchata. The one I think of is the one made of rice (horchata de arroz). It’s hit-or-miss though. Sometimes it’s really thin and sugary.
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The horchata de chufa in Valencia is made from chufa which grows in southern Spain and North Africa. From Spain, the concept of horchata was brought to the Americas. Here horchata is made with white rice instead of tiger nuts.
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The food all looks delicious! I love Spanish tapas, and Cava – tastes just like French champagne. 🙂 Tinto de varano sounds like a healthier alternative to sangria. Never tried that one. I’d love to go back to Spain one day. Thanks for the info!
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Once I tried tinto de verano, I prefer it to sangria. Tinto de verano is lighter and refreshing. Spain is a repeatable destination with lots to see and do or just relax and enjoy the country.
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Natalie,
Thanks for the postcard–you made me hungry. I’ve only had shrimp paella in Spain, so I wonder what you thought of the chicken. Looking forward to reading more about your trip. Would love for you to have someone take your picture at one of your favorite spots. Have a great weekend. Joe
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Joe, The chicken paella was very good. I had seafood pasta on another day there and it was yummy, too. I don’t bring a selfie stick when I travel and hesitate to ask strangers to take my picture.
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The food looks amazing!! I think about the Paella all the time!
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Sayeedah, Thank you for your visit and comment. The paella I had in Spain was yummy.
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Just makin me hungry and its only 7 am.
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Thank you for your visit and comment. I hope you have a satisfying breakfast.
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i LOVE Spain. In a word, it is all about PASSION!
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Thank you Jeanne for your visit and comment. Yes, it’s all about passion. It’s easy to love Spain as it is a wonderful country.
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It sure is. 🙂
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Of all the tapas I had in Spain, Patatas bravas was one of my all time favorites.
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Patatas bravas are delicious. I love them too.
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