At this time of year, you might be considering dusting off the cobwebs of your passport and exploring one of the two most popular foodie destinations in the world, Spain and France.
If you’re waiting to break out of your culinary comfort zone it is a lot like breaking out of an escape room, in that you have to push yourself beyond picky eating and embrace all options…. you can’t just sit still in your comfort zone and expect life to bring you an incredible feast – you have to break out, take life on, and get adventurous.
Now, both Spain and France offer some incredibly adventurous food, from frogs legs and snails to testicle and tripe, but in reality, if you’re traveling to these countries you’re going to want some direction on the best that’s on offer for the majority of tourist palettes. Herein, is a quick overview of some of the things you must try when in Spain and France.
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1. Beef Bourguignon
This hearty beef stew that originates from Burgundy comprises of tender pieces of beef braised in red wine along with garlic, shallots, smoked bacon lardons, pearl onions and mushrooms. It is deceptively simple yet incredibly tasty.2. French Onion Soup
This sweet, rich, melt in your mouth soup served with an obligatory slice of french bread often smothered in salty grilled cheese is a favourite throughout France, and many other parts of the world. For instance, in Hungary they will serve a similarly rich soup in a hollowed out loaf of bread, that serves as the bowl.3. Mussels
A simple pot of fresh mussels, white wine, fresh cream, sweet braised shallots or white onions and a touch of garlic is many a person’s idea of heaven, particularly when you throw in pomme frites and crusty french bread into the mix. Then, if you head down to the South of France in the region of Provence, you’ll find mussels with a rich tomato sauce that are equally as delicious.SPAIN
1. Gazpacho
Gazpacho is a cold tomato soup that originated from Andalusia in Southern Spain. It combines fresh ripe tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, stale bread, red peppers and cucumber. It is then blended until silky smooth and chilled in the fridge for several hours.2. Calamari
When fresh and flash fried, calamari melts in your mouth. When cooked too slowly, or not fresh from the sea, it has a tendency to get a little rubbery and chewy, but in Spain, particularly on the islands, they perfect this fine art with tender calamari rings in a light and tasty batter; served hot with a slice of lemon and a punchy garlic mayonnaise dip.3. Prawns in Garlic (Gambas al Ajillo)
Of all the offerings mentioned on this list, the sweet and succulent, meaty white flesh, served sizzling in a terra-cotta dish basking in olive oil with tons of garlic and a hint of chilli – is the most compelling reason to travel. Indeed, it might be worth the journey just to get at these juicy little prawns. If you’re looking for the best place to try this, head down to the Canary Islands or Seville in the South of Spain.
