4. Spain
Think of Spanish food, and tapas might be the first thing that springs to mind: small but enticing dishes featuring delectable mouthfuls of croquettes or perhaps some tortilla – potatoes and onion baked in egg – or a bowl of patatas bravas – cubes of fried potato served with a spicy tomato sauce or sometimes aioli, tapas has something for everyone. Cured meats are also prevalent, with chorizo being a common addition to many dishes. Of course, each region has its own delicacies: in the Catalan region (the first region of Spain to write a cookbook!), bread rubbed with tomatoes and olive oil, Andalucia is the region which gave the world gazpacho, and in Extremadura, the dessert of leche frita, or fried milk. What can be said for almost all the regions, though, is that they all feature a hearty mix of tomatoes, olive oil and cured meats. Delicious!
