"Home of paella" Valencia, Spain
In front of the building on the far left, the "Paella World Cup" was held on the 20th, with the participation of traditional food masters from all over the world.
Valencia is the third largest city in Spain and is located on the Mediterranean coast in the eastern part of the Iberian Peninsula. It prides itself on its rich cultural heritage and the beautiful beaches created by the Golden Age of the 15th century. The climate is mild all year round, the soil is fertile, the natural conditions are surrounded by the sea, and the Gold Coast. A festival of passion and excitement is held all year round, warming the hearts while preserving the traditional culture of the local area.
September 20 is World Paella Day in Spain. The Paella World Cup is a gastronomic festival hosted by the Spanish Tourism Organization and attended by traditional food masters from all over the world. After an intense qualifier, 10 finalists from South Korea, Uruguay, Ireland and Costa Rica were selected from 36 chefs from 20 countries around the world.
The representative food of Spain, paella, meaning "pot", originated in the Valencian region. It was a farmhouse meal where he boiled rice, chicken, rabbit, pods and tomatoes in a large pot. This is similar to a Large Plate dish in China.
Paella is similar to fried rice, but the difference is. While rice is the main ingredient, fried rice uses prepared goduap, while paella is similar to making pot rice. The principle is not to wash the rice, put it in a pot with soup instead of water, cook it over high heat, then steam it over low heat, add spices and garnish and cook it.
The basic ingredients of paella are vegetables, meat, seafood and rice. The distinctive yellow color of paella comes from saffron, the most expensive spice. The golden rice is topped with a variety of seafood such as shrimp, mussels and squid. It's hearty and tasty.
A central market with food and specialty stores, restaurants, etc.
Food can be purchased at the city's central market. It began in 1893 as an unmarked street market and was transformed into the current construction market in 1928 through a competition organized by the municipality in 1910. Covering an area of 8,000 square meters, it is the largest market in Europe. The openness of the large central dome and the light from the colorful windows and ceilings multiply the beauty of the building.
Lake Albufeira, where you can take a boat trip through the vegetation.
Spain's rice-growing region is Albufeira, 30 minutes south of Valencia. You will see a landscape similar to that of Rice Field Cultivation in China. The Bomba variety of rice is mainly grown in the vast rice fields around the huge Albufera Lake.
Rice is native to Southeast Asia and spread to Italy and Spain through the Middle East. However, the culture of rice cultivation in the Albufeira region did not spread beyond Valencia and throughout Spain. Paella has been a foreign tourist destination in Spain since the 1960s and a representative dish in Spain since the 1990s. The efforts of valencia's chefs have contributed greatly to the spread of paella.
Paella is cooked using traditional methods such as firewood.
Chef Tony Montoliu runs a restaurant about 8 km north of downtown Valencia and is a traditional paella artisan with a long history. He is very famous and has been invited to serve as a judge for various cooking competitions. He cooks with vegetables grown in his own fields and cooks over firewood.
Horchata is a representative drink of Spain, the tubered tiger nuts of the plant are ground with sugar and water, and served cold. The aroma of tiger fruit, the slightly bitter taste and the sweetness of sugar complement each other. Perfect for quenching thirst on a hot summer day. It goes well with Barton bread made by adding milk sugar eggs to wheat flour.
Spanish delegates drink horchata (right) and parroton bread.
Chinese are free to travel to Spain. Whether or not you have been vaccinated, you can enter the country visa-free and exempt from mandatory quarantine. Before entering Spain, log in to the Spanish Ministry of Health's "Spanish Tourism Health" (SpTH), fill in the Special Quarantine Report (FCS) and receive the QR code.
However, even those who were vaccinated on their return to China must have a PCR test in Spain, tested and self-quarantined upon return.
Valencia's Old Town can be explored on foot. There is a charge for the main structure. The cathedral is 8 euros, the Miguelet Bell Tower is 2 euros. Torres de Serranos is free these days. Reina Square in front of the cathedral is under construction. Jungang Market is a morning market that is open from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
La Tomatina is a global tomato festival held in the Valencian town of Buñol, held every year in the last week of August.