Spaniards are fiercely proud of their regional differences and within Spain, every region has its specialties. Movida's executive chef Frank Camorra says these regional differences tell a story about a country committed to preserving its culinary traditions.
Camorra says each of Spain's 17 autonomous regions have their own distinct cuisine - from sopa de ajo (garlic soup) in Madrid, to a saffron-spiked paella in Valencio, bacalao al pil-pil from the Basque Country, and a monte y mar in Cataluna.
"Spain is known for its specific regions, some of which have their own language and culture and consider themselves to be separate countries," says Camorra.
"Spain is, geographically, very diverse and each region is known for something different. Northern Spain is known for its meat and fish, southern Spain for its deep-fried seafood, central Spain for its rich stews and slow roasts and the east is all about rice and seafood," says Camorra, author of (Murdoch Books, $59.95)
Camorra, who brought a little bit of Spain to Australia with his chain, says all the regions are justifiably proud of their differences which have been influenced by everything from geographical diversity to Moorish occupation.
The Moorish factor
Camorra's family comes from Andalusia in the south of Spain, where the Moorish occupation resulted in a cuisine that is full of North African nuances mixed with Spanish traditions. He says the Moors brought ingredients such as , almonds, sugar cane, aromatic spices and rice to the region while also introducing sweets and pastries.
"The south of Spain, Andalusia, is the region where my parents are from and it's where I consider home to be in Spain. Andalusia had 800 years of Moorish occupation and that has had a huge influence on the cuisine," says Camorra.
"Andalusia has rivers that flow into Atlantic and the Mediterranean and it's the place where the New World came into Europe. It's where the gold came into Spain - the gold was the , the peppers, potatoes, corn and a huge number of ingredients," he says.
Cataluna aka club Med
Camorra recommends visitors to Spain visit Cataluna in the northeastern Spain to better understand how eating habits in the region have evolved over time. He says the cuisine in the region has had more influences from France and Italy thanks to the Mediterranean trade route.
"The Catalans do versions of cannelloni and pasta that are very rich and more Italian than Spanish. They also do a dish called monte y mar - mountain and sea - which is their version of a surf and turf," Camorra says.
"This region is bounded by the Pyrenees and the Catalan coastline so it has high mountains that tumble down to the coast, resulting in dishes like rabbit and cuttlefish or lobster and chicken that are exclusive to those areas," he says.
Spanish chef, Frank Camorra encourages people to explore the food of Spain's regions Source: SBS Food
Basque in the afterglow
Camorra says the Basques are also committed to preserving their culture and legacy, which is reflected in the food. Historically, he says the Basque people were amazing navigators, who travelled to the New World before Columbus chasing cod. "The Basques captured cod and gave it to the Norwegians who salted it and dried it. The food is delicious, but typically doesn't feature a lot of sauces," Camorra says.
"Anchovies in the Basque Country are amazing and seafood is a massive thing there, but the classic Basque dish is called . It's an emulsion made from cod that is cooked in olive oil and it's extremely rich and delicious," he says.
Vale Valencia
The most recognised Spanish dish in the world has to be paella. Located on the coast in the Mediterranean, Camorra says Valencians created paella out of necessity. He says the Valencian paella is highly flavoursome and spiked with saffron - a classic Spanish ingredient.
" is food borne out of necessity. The farmers had rice, they had rabbits and they had snails. They also had a particular bean that was fourth key ingredient in the paella," Camorra says.
"Valencia is a big rice-growing region in Spain. The rice varieties grown here have low starch content and soak up three times their own volume in liquid so are highly flavoursome. The other thing about paella is that it was traditionally cooked outside so it's always about the smoke, because it's that smoky characteristic that is indicative of a really good paella," he says.
King of the pigs
Visit any tapas bar in Spain and it's more than likely you will offered a menu that includes , which is certainly one of Spain's most well-known and celebrated ingredients. Camorra describes the Iberica pig as "king of the pigs". "Madura is where the jamón Ibérico comes from and these pigs live on large swathes of land that are all under oak forest. The pigs' diet includes acorns, grass and worms and that's what makes the ham taste so fantastic," Camorra says.
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