With its warm Mediterranean climate Spain is a producer of a wide range of fruits and vegetables, many of which we see in our English supermarkets. These include tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, onions and garlic; lemons, oranges, melons, grapes, peaches and apricots. They
also grow large quantities of olives, almonds and walnuts. In the markets you will also find cheeses, ham and a variety of sausages. Fishing is a large industry, and Spain also produces a lot of wine.

Famous Spanish dishes include paella, a chicken or seafood risotto cooked in a large shallow pan called a paellera. On festival days this might be cooked in a vast paellera in a quantity that will feed the whole village. Tortilla is a kind of thick omelette, usually made with potatoes, onions and eggs. Gazpacho is a cold soup made from tomatoes, cucumber and peppers; it can be served in a bowl, or if made thinner, drunk from a glass. Churros are pieces of fried dough which are smothered in sugar and cinnamon, and then dunked in a thick chocolate sauce. There are other tarts and sweets often made using eggs, almonds or walnuts and dried fruit such as raisins. There is always plenty of fresh fruit and salad. Tapas are mini snacks which might consist of squid, tripe, prawns, meatballs or anchovies. They are eaten as appetisers before a meal.

Spain has a tradition for producing ham (jamón). Traditionally this would be cured by the farmers, by salting the hams and then hanging them up to dry over the winter in a well-ventilated attic. The farm-produced hams are still highly regarded and are much more expensive than the factory produced ones. Besides the hams, every part of the pig would be used and Spain is famous for its chorizo sausage.