Exploring Spanish cuisine while in Spain was my favorite
part of the trip. The fresh produce, cheese and meats made walking into any
supermarket an exciting experience. Restaurants had mouth-watering menus to
choose from and although I am Muslim and can only eat halal foods, I did not
find it difficult choosing something off the menu.
Cultural influences were obvious when walking into different
restaurants. Fish was served at almost all restaurants we ate at. It is
customary for Jews to eat fish for Shabbat dinner every Friday. Many kosher
restaurants lined the streets of Barcelona to accommodate tourists and Jewish
communities in the area.
Finding a restaurant or tapas bar that served hamone, or
ham, was fairly simple. Ham is considered to be one of the most popular meal
ingredients in Spain. It is sometimes served with cheese as an appetizer or
incorporated into rice dishes, such as paella. The Christian influence on Spain
made hamone well liked through out the country. Because I am Muslim, my religion
forbids me to eat pork and therefore I was unable to try the hamone while on my
trip.
Our meals were almost always eaten outdoors. Even though temperatures were high, sitting in the shade made it bearable. There was a breeze that kept us cool. Many restaurants had mist fans installed on outdoor patios. These fans also helped cool down outdoor eating areas.
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