Cover photo: Flickr. John Picken Photo
A history of the Sevillian cuisine
In Spain, each region has its own unique cuisine (the Valencian paella, the Basque pinchos, the Galician seafood, the Castilian meat…) which give a variety and richness to Spanish cooking.
To speak of Sevillian cuisine is to speak of Andalusian cuisine, but with certain distinctive touches. It has a special connection to Al-Andalus cuisine and to products from the Americas, as well as to those from Andalusia’s coastal regions, due to Seville’s historical status as a river port.
The olive oil and olives are present in all Andalusia because of its great extensive olive groves, in addition to the wine that dates back to the Roman times of Aljarafe. Apart from this, rice and oranges were introduced by the Muslims and both were exported to Europe. From them we also inherited the typical sweets made with honey. The natural environment of the mountains to the north of Seville, has allowed the raising of Iberian pork, and the consumption of Iberian products can’t be missed off the menu of any bar of the city. Finally we shouldn’t forget the Mantecados, butter buns or sweets from Estepa that date from the 16th century (and that are the Christmas sweets par excellence), nor the handmade ‘convent sweets’.
Andalusian breakfast
In Andalusia, breakfast is “savory.” The traditional meal consists of coffee and toast (not sliced bread!), which can be one slice (that is, half a piece) or two (a whole piece), prepared in different ways depending on your taste. Although the typical way is with olive oil, tomato, and jamon (Spanish cured ham or Iberian ham), it’s also common to order it with butter or pâté.
Enjoy a traditional Andalusian breakfast at a traditional Sevillian bar. It’s also customary to have it with fresh-squeezed orange juice. You’ll start your day full of energy.
Tapas, portions and half portions
In my experience as a tour guide, this is something that confuses most foreign visitors. So a brief explanation might be helpful.
The tapa.
It’s the ultimate way to relax and enjoy time with friends, without having to order a full meal at a restaurant. Starting at 12:00, it’s definitely time for a beer paired with a good tapa.
But aside from its social aspect, for those unfamiliar with the concept, a tapa is a small dish of food—a modest portion at an affordable price. It’s perfect for casual occasions or for lunch or dinner, where you can enjoy several of them.
Raciones or medias raciones
You’ll also find these options at tapas bars, which means the portions are larger. Depending on how many of you are dining, you might be better off ordering a full ración or just a half (media ración). This means that if you all want a specific tapa, you can order one ración, which will be more economical.
It’s still different from restaurants, since a dish at a restaurant is meant for a single person, while raciones are always meant to be shared.
Typical dishes
The variety of the cuisine that you can find here in Seville is enormous, and every establishment offers something different. The range of them also adds a richness to the diversity of the city. This could be from the ancient traditional taverns to the innovative bars with daring offerings. Of course the thing would be, to try everything and decide which concept you’ll stay with.
The taverns tend to be decorated with elements of flamenco, bulls or Holy Week and normally serve traditional cuisine as tapas, usually eaten at the bar or standing.
Some typical dishes:
Papas aliñás (seasoned potatoes)
A cold appetizer. Made with boiled potatoes, oil, vinegar, and onion. Although it may seem simple, a good tapa of “papas aliñás” never disappoints.
Salmorejo & Gazpacho
The well-known Andalusian cold soups. Made primarily with tomatoes, they are served very cold, either in a bowl or directly in a drinking glass. Not only are they refreshing and full of natural flavor, but they’re also very healthy, as they provide a wealth of vitamins and minerals.
Carrillada (braised pork cheeks)
Cooked in wine, and usually made with pork—a juicy and very tender cut of meat—served with potatoes or vegetables.
Solomillo al Whisky (pork tenderloin in whisky sauce)
Although this dish isn’t always made with whiskey, the result is a meat dish with a rich flavor that comes from its ingredients combined with the already exquisite pork tenderloin.
Espinacas con garbanzos (spinach with chickpeas)
Since it is a meatless dish, it is considered a traditional Lenten dish, combining the most popular legumes and vegetables.
Cola de toro (oxtail stew)
A wonderful stew served with a thick sauce made with wine. One of Seville’s most traditional dishes.
Adobo
In fact, “adobo” refers to the type of frying, while the main ingredient is usually dogfish or anchovies. It’s easily recognizable by its aroma and rich flavor, and it’s a very traditional and popular dish among the people of Seville.
Pavía
Another way to prepare fried fish. In this case, it’s usually cod or hake. The result is a crispy, flavorful fried dish that’s always appetizing.
Huevos a la flamenca (famenca eggs)
A hot dish made with potatoes, tomatoes, eggs, and chorizo, all baked in the oven until golden brown. The downside is that you don’t usually find it in many tapas bars.
Serranito
This is a traditional Sevillian sandwich made with a chicken cutlet or pork loin, Serrano ham, fresh tomato, and roasted green peppers. All these ingredients combined make it a real treat.
Pringá
It’s usually eaten as a “montadito” (traditional hot sandwich) and consists of a mixture of meats and sausages from the cocido. It’s one of those dishes that you simply have to try to understand.
Piripi
This is a traditional Sevillian sandwich made with a chicken cutlet or pork loin, Serrano ham, fresh tomato, and roasted green peppers. All these ingredients combined make it a real treat.
Caracoles (snails)
In Seville, the snails are the smallest kind (the larger ones aren’t very popular), and they’re only available at one time of year: in May and June, when they become the star attraction on the terraces. Eaten since Roman times, they’re very tasty and slightly spicy, with an exquisite broth that Sevillians go crazy for.
Traditional sweets
The Andalusi, Sephardi and Christian cuisine gave place to a great tradition of confectionary in Andalusia, creating sweets like torrijas, bread soaked in milk and egg and coated in sugar or honey and pestiños, fried dough covered in honey (eaten predominantly in Lent or Holy Week), and the tocinos de cielo, a rich caramel desert, literally translated to ‘heavens bacon,’ rosquillas, Spanish donuts and yemas, rich and creamy sweet, made of sugar, water and egg yolks. These are joined by those that came from European cuisine and have become traditional, such as milhojas, Vanilla or custard slice, or Palmeras, sweet and flakey pastries.
But polverones and mantecados from Estepa deserve special mention, eaten predominantly at Christmas. They are a type of soft crumbly shortbread or the tortas de aceite ‘Ines Rosales’, a sweet crisp biscuit, that still repects the ancestral recipe for its manufacture -recognised by the European commission-.
The convent sweets have strong roots and diffusion in Seville. Their success comes from being made in Sevillian Convents with natural ingredients that differentiate them from industrial pastries. But they are also a sign of Sevillian identity, because of its familiar flavours and the endearing feelings that these disks stir of the monastic life, forming part of the intimate life of the city. In addition, the majority of the profits from their purchase go towards the preservation and restauration of the convent.
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