Spanish cuisine is essentially a family one, developed out of living off the land, using the foods that were readily available and a creative mind to make the most of everything they had.

Based on simple ingredients, with its roots firmly in home cooking and pure country food, Spanish cooking is typically hearty and unpretentious.

The main criteria for the success of a dish is whether or not it tastes good.

The Spanish are a proud people, taking pride in their food, their wine and their music and are very social and familial….. the more the merrier!

Here in Spain there are more national holidays (fiestas) than any other country (almost outnumbering work days!), and each pueblo has their own on top of that!

Spanish culture, full of passion and tradition may be best known worldwide for its flamenco, paella, sherry and, of course, its famous cured Spanish Jamon (ham).

The most well known is the Jamon Serrano, but the most delectable and cherished is the Jamon Iberico.

The Spanish Jamon is so appealing because of the lengthy curing process which transforms the ham, giving it a deep flavour and aroma.

This extended curing also means it is much less fatty and has a firmer texture than Italian prosciutto.

This delicacy is served as paper-thin slices at room temperature.

The person wielding the knife must be knowledgeable about exactly how to carve the ham along the grain, this is an art in itself.

Spanish Jamon is great with plain bread

Spanish Jamon is best accompanied by bread and a nice glass of the famous rioja wine or sherry.

Eating Spanish Jamon is part of daily life for Spaniards, a Spanish ritual that dates back many centuries.

Hanging from ceiling rafters of quaint authentic Spanish bars and cafes you will see (and smell) these hanging legs of cured ham, every tapas bar and neighbourhood cafe has their own jamons.

True jamon connoisseurs favour bars where owners choose the jamon’s from respected producers such as Joselito.

During the holiday season there are literally hundreds of them hanging from the rafters of major food stores and wine and cheese boutiques.

Spanish Jamon is not seasonal, its available all year round

However, jamon is available throughout the year. This special jamon is present at almost every family “fiesta” be it weddings, baptisms or Christmas….there are just too many to count!

Spanish Jamon hanging in a Tapas Bar

“Serrano” is the generic term applied to dry-cured Spanish hams. The word Serrano literally means “from the mountains”.

The cool mountain air is an essential ingredient to all dry-cured Spanish hams. Jamon Serrano comes from pigs fed an assortment of foods whereas Jamon Iberico pigs have a very special diet.

These hams (usually the less expensive ones) are also used for cooking in salads, soups and traditional dishes, its meat is still exquisite.

The secret to Spanish Jamon lies in its curing, done according to centuries old artesanal methods. This tradition is kept alive in rural areas where in early winter, family and friends gather to slaughter their livestock in preparation for winter months.

The hams are placed in sea salt for a brief period of time – approximately one day per kilo – and then they are strung up.

They are allowed to experience the changes of temperature as the seasons change.

The right time to eat them is when an experienced ham-master inserts a long piece of cow bone and “whiffs” the jamon, like a connoisseur of wine who sniffs the cork.

Jamon Iberico (which constitutes only 10′% of all Spanish cured hams) is a luxurious, silky cured ham that is venerated as a true Spanish jewel and treasure.

Jamon Iberico is comparable to the best Iranian caviar or French truffles. It has a creamy texture, deep purple and red colouring and musky salty taste in the fat.

The special care of breeding and feeding the pigs which produce Jamon Iberico is what sets them apart from the regular pigs which produce Jamon Serrano.

Jamon Iberico comes from black bristled, boarlike (iberico) pigs that descend from an Iberian race of pigs dating back many centuries.

The best Iberian ham is produced in the countryside of western Andalucía and Extremadura regions.

Iberico pigs eat very little in summer but from October to February they are let loose in pastures full of beautiful old oak trees where they feast on wild acorns, up to 20 lbs. per day, increasing to 60 percent in weight.

The special acorn diet and the exercise of being out on the open pastures lends to the meat acquiring a delicious nutty-acorn flavour.

Although the curing process is the same as Jamon Serrano, the Jamon Iberico legs are aged between 14-36 months.

The best Spanish Jamon comes from the "Bellota" (Acorn)

Jamon Iberico de Bellota, also known as “pata negra” is the prize label given only to a small fraction of hams fattened only on acorns.

This is the crème de la crème of the Jamon Ibericos. They are so prized that oftentimes there is a waiting list to purchase a full “pata” (full bone-in leg).

The full bone-in legs are priced and sold based on weight (ranging from 16-18 pounds) with prices ranging from $79 per pound, costing up to $1,200 for one pata.

However, a mid range Spanish Jamon Serrano Reserva can be found for as low as $60 and prices go down from there.

A local told me of a sure way to get the choose the best Spanish Jamon ……although I doubt if anyone actually does this!

When buying a whole jamon leg, ask the owner to throw the jamon leg up to the ceiling, if it sticks you´ve got a good one! If it does not stick and falls to the ground, don´t buy it.

The creamy fat content of the Spanish Jamon should be enough to make the leg stick to ceiling making it an excellent Jamon Serrano.

Spanish Jamon is the best and tastiest Jamon you can find!

For you all culinary lovers in Marbella, here is a ‘thumbs up’ from the Group Managing Director Laura Stanbridge of CCG for the newly opened Restaurant Cervantes.

She says: ‘I am pleased to announce Old Town Marbella has a new culinary gem, Restaurant Cervantes. I had a great meal there a couple of weekends ago with friends visiting from America. It was so good that I am letting friends know.’

The recently opened restaurant is located across from the Town Hall in Plaza Los Naranjos, in the same entrance as the art gallery.

The cuisine is Spanish and international, and many of the dishes are regional favourites which the restaurant’s young Spanish chef has modernised.

Also, Restaurante Cervantes is a perfect meeting place for a drink in the Old Town of Marbella. It has a lovely Andalucian patio on the ground floor for drinks before dinner.

Moreover, Restaurante Cervantes is also offering a bottle of house wine for every two persons who mention Laura Stanbridge or CCG. Cheers!

The location of Restaurante Cervantes is charming and the views are romantic. It is open Monday to Saturday from 19.00. For reservations telephone: +34 952 776 759 or 660 107 928.

Spain is a country rich in homegrown Spanish products such as wine, sherry, special cured ham and the famous Spanish olive oil. All of which are part of the daily staple for all Spaniards….breakfast, lunch and dinner or even the spanish tapas.

The delicious Spanish food is at the heart of all celebrations and family get-together and no ingredient is more fundamental to Spanish cooking than olive oil.

Olive oils in Spain are comparable in importance to good wine.

Spanish olive oil ranges from an inexpensive, everyday fat for frying to pricey elixirs reverentially drizzled on langoustines or swirled into soups.

It is little known that Spain, and not Italy, supplied the Roman Empire with the bulk of its oil in antiquity.

Spain produces 50% of the worlds olive oil

Spain has continued on this path and today produces 50 percent of the world’s olive oil.
Although most Spanish olive oil comes from the Andalusian provinces of Jaen and Cordoba, other regions, especially Catalonia, are playing catch-up with rich finely flavoured olive oils that can give Tuscany a run for the money.

Spain produces over 260 types of Spanish Olive Oil

The effect of a specific olive variety on the character of its oil is not unlike that of a particular grape on its wine.

Spain proudly cultivates more than 260 olive varieties.

The scope of flavours and fragrances of the different spanish olive oils reflect the diversity of the country´s varied terrain – rainy and mountainous in the North, dry prairie like areas of the central regions and rich terra cotta coloured soil in the South.

With so much variety in the family of spanish olive oil, it is impossible to declare that there is such a thing as generic, all purpose olive oil that is best used for everything.

Both chefs and home cooks these days choose their olive oil depending on how they plan to use it (frying, sauteing, drizzling, dressing a salad) and on the flavour they desire (fruity, peppery, smooth, stringent, delicate, robust).

Another thing to take into consideration is whether the oil is labeled as light or extra light which refers to the spanish olive oils color and mildness of flavour. These are usually neutral-flavoured, light textured oils made with an extremely fine filtration process.

A Taste of Spanish Olive Oil

Though it is impossible to keep track of them all – especially since so many spanish olive oil s are blends of different varieties of olives- here is an introduction to the best known olives and their oils.

Arbequina olive oil is from Catalonia and Aragon. This smooth oil is from the young, small and delicate arbequina olives. The oil is herbaceous and fruity, with hints of almonds and artichokes, and an attractive bitterness with a smooth texture, a rich fragrance, and a colour that ranges from gold to a muted green.

However, this young olive oil is not really suitable for cooking. It is best used on salads, as a final touch for grilled fish or cooked green vegetables, or for moistening toasted or grilled bread. The olive alone is Catalonia’s best-loved table olive.

Cornicabra olive oil is from Toledo and Ciudad Real in Castilla La Mancha. The oil from these ancient horn-shaped olives (cornicabra- goat horn) has a sweet-bitter pungent, well balanced, and velvety texture with a greenish-gold hue.

Oil from riper cornicabra olives is reminiscent of avocado, with which it deliciously accompanies. Use cornicabra oil straight from the bottle on gazpachos, in warm potatoe or bean salad, or for braised green vegetables, sautéed fish or chicken, or escabeches.

Empeltre olive oil is from Bajo Aragon, Tarragona and the Balearic Islands . Light, mild, faintly fruity, this pale-golden oil has hints of apples and almonds and just a faint hint of pepper.

Because of its sweetness, empeltre oil is great for blending with other varieties of olive oil. By itself, it´s delicious in salad dressings, in uncooked marinades, or drizzled over asparagus.

Like arbequina, this oil is delicate and unstable. It´s best used raw and not for cooking. Preserve this bottle in a cool dark place.

Hojiblanca olive oil is from Seville , Malaga , and Cordoba . Hojiblanca olives have been around since antiquity, producing oils that can range rather widely in flavour but generally tend to be pleasantly bittersweet, fruity, and lightly peppery, with a hint of almonds.

As it can withstand chilling, this stable oil is perfect for gazpachos. It´s also good for frying and sautéing.

Additionally, it is terrific for baking – both sweet and savoury. The olive is also a popular black table olive.

Picual olive oil is from the Andalusian provinces of Jaen , Cordoba and Granada .

Picuals comprise some 50 percent of all Spanish olives and are prized for their reliability and versatility.

Picual oil is rather robust, peppery, fresh tasting, and pleasantly bitter. Because it is so stable, this is excellent cooking oil, whether you are deep-frying, sautéing, braising vegetables or cooking potatoes.

It’s also delicious in vinagrettes made with sherry vinegar. Picual oil is often blended with other varieties, such as hojiblanca.

Picudo olive oil is from Cordoba, Jaen, Granada and Malaga. The pointed end of the fruit (picudo means prominent peak) generally makes a sweet, light, well-balanced oil with floral hints of apples and tropical fruit. Use it to drizzle on mild, delicate dishes, with buttery salad greens, and fruit gazpachos, and when baking sweets or frying fish. This is indeed a preferred one in those variety of Spanish olive oil.

Marbella is no longer just a popular tourist destination of Costa del Sol for its fantastic micro climate and beach or golf clubs; over the years, it has earned its far-reaching reputation for a plethora of options for dining in some of the finest restaurants. From the old town Marbella, the Golden Mile to the San Pedro de Alcantara in the extreme west, you can find your choice of eateries.

In fact, the growth of tourism industry has pushed the entire restaurant business by serving a variety of cuisine from around the world. Restaurants in Marbella are known for their diverse range of seafood and the typically Andalucía cuisine, yet most of them also offers some mouth-watering international dishes for everybody’s interest.

Whether you are looking for a romantic meal, a close gathering or just a wish to experience the flavour of some quality cooking in a relax and an elegant environment, dining in Marbella is a treat that would certainly be an exciting day out for an avid gourmet. However, due to the tourist orientation, you might find all these a bit overpriced but a little stroll can land you at a place to suit every pocket.

Here is a list of some quality restaurants, located in different corners of the resort town, which may attract you for their stylish menu of classic dishes. Just keep in mind that at each place you will find something of their specialities representing food and cuisine as an integral part of Spanish culture.

El Patio de los Perfumes: Richly decorated with sumptuous furnishings, it is a multi-cuisine restaurant located in the Old Town of Marbella. Established in an old building along with live performances of flamenco music and dance, this offers an exceptional dining experience.

One can’t just resist trying some warm goat’s cheese, the beef carpaccio and the foie gras with caramelised apple. Besides, there are a range of international cuisines, a selection of deserts and a great wine list including a good choice of French wines.

Al Andalus: Located in the Estepona region of Marbella, this hotel restaurant is another choice where you can find almost a variety of food choices for your dinner in a tastefully decorated Mediterranean ambiance. With a first class international buffet and a la carte menu, Al Andalus is the best place to go.

El Rincón: Owned by one of Costa del Sol’s well-known hotelier Garry Waite, it’s a new addition to Marbella’s dining scene. With a lavishly beautiful setting, the restaurant marks a fashion statement while serving a mixture of classic dishes along with some modern Mediterranean specialities.

Duck and Chicken Liver Paté, Wild Mushroom Risotto, Grilled Fillet of Cód on chorizo potatoes, sundried tomatoes and wild mushrooms, Lobster Bisque with fresh lobster slices are some of its must try with a friendly and efficient service.

Avanti: There are quite a few Italian restaurants in Marbella; Avanti close to the Marcos Tennis Academy is a must stopover. Although the restaurant was built to provide service to tennis players of the academy, it is open to visitors and outsiders too. Traditional Italian cuisine and a good selection of meat and fish dishes are extremely attractive and a warm and attentive service may invite you to come here again.

Villa Tiberio: It is yet another Italian restaurant serving both traditional and modern Italian food. Moving just ahead of the Marbella Club hotel, on the right hand side of the Golden Mile, you will come across this great ambiance and elegant surrounding for a very special lunch or dinner. However, due to its popularity among tourists and locals, it’s tempts you for advancing booking, especially during summer.

Restaurante Antonio: If you search for some of the best seafood and excellent fish dishes, Antonio is the undoubtedly the best one. Situated in Puerto Banus, this restaurant is one of favourites of people who frequently visit Marbella.

Among the special Spanish restaurants, there are the Three Olivos and El Portalon to dish up some of the best local cuisines, along with an excellent selection of wines from all over Spain. Here you will find a good menu for Lunch and Dinner including the incomparable seafood paella along with sangria drink that is excellent to catch your gastronomic interest.

Again, if you search for any Indian restaurant, there are in fact quite a few: the Taj Mahal, the Khans (Puerto Banus), the Mumtaz (Benabola), and the Embassy (Nueva Andalucia) serve some of finest cuisines from India. The chefs here use all those traditional ingredients to create an amazing end result which characterize the authenticate taste of Indian food.

Marbella is not mere a tourist paradise for its sightseeing guarded with a splendid Mediterranean weather; the resort town of Costa de Sol also offers all kinds of food choices. From traditional Andalucían to Spanish special to a variety of international cuisine, you will find almost all to go well with your gastronomic interest.

Being a sea front place, fish occupies an essential part in Marbella food. In fact, the town itself doesn’t have any specialities in terms of cuisine but it serves typical Spanish favourites with a greater inclination towards seafood. However, at every corner of the city you will find some of the finest multi-cuisine restaurants on account of the growing cosmopolitan nature.

The city has a wealth of restaurants…there is Italian, Indian, Chinese and special Thai eateries lined up close to all the famous tourist spots. However, going by the nature of Spain, you will find some interesting options and one can even arrange a special culinary tour in and around Marbella.

Some of the most popular Spanish dishes those are well and frequently served in Marbella are: the Tapas, a snack served with alcoholic drink throughout; Paella, gregarious rice dish available in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian; fried fish etc. You can even taste some typical hams, available in a variety of flavour; these are key components in Spanish cuisine.

Going by the preparation of any Spanish food item, food in Marbella is spicy and richly flavoured. Primarily, tomatoes, potatoes, chilli, citrus fruit and beans are widely used in most of the popular dishes. Locals and visitors also love to have some superbly prepared chicken and shellfish delicacies along with some other which include: Bacalao (salted cod), Butifarra (white sausage) and Chorizo (sausage).

But, the best way to taste some great cookery is to travel to any Andalucían village. In fact, the distinctive aroma of Spanish dishes lies in rural regions, especially inside Costa del Sol. Being once a fishing village, you will have a great variety of fish and seafood dishes prepared in a wooden woven releasing a flavour of its own.

Another principal and widely recognised food item of Spain, and so in Marbella, is Paella. Pronounced as paeya, it’s a delicious mixed rice dish which constitutes a variety of ingredients and recipe, including different types of meat and seafood. Although its origin is linked to the Valencia region, it can be found pretty much everywhere in Spain. And again, Paella in Marbella means applying the seafood formula with fish and rice in the pan.

However, over the years, the food in Marbella is greatly influenced by its own growth from a seaside village town to a flourishing cosmopolitan city. The thriving international business community and the growth of tourism as a major industry have encouraged the establishment of restaurants with some delicate Thai and Italian dishes.