Welcome to Sunday Sobremesa, a bimonthly thread to discuss food and culture while sipping on a latte (or un vodka naranja,1 if that’s more your style!).
Last week I wrote about paella, which is one of the most popular traditional foods of Spain. People from Spain have strong opinions about what counts as a true paella valenciana, and the dish now has both a Designation of Origin (DO) and protected status as an item of cultural significance.
Writing about paella made me think of the two sides of the culinary food coin: tradition and innovation. Food purists will often argue that tradition is more important, while innovators chase the new and exciting (I’m thinking of a restaurant we went to a couple of years ago that served a dessert that looked like a real-life lemon but was actually a cake2).
What do you think? Is sticking to tradition more important, or are you more for innovation? Is there a place for both in the culinary world? Let’s discuss it in the comments!
Before you go, I’d like your feedback! Sunday Sobremesas are meant to start discussions and be a place to share your own experiences and thoughts on food culture. Right now, Sunday Sobremesas are held every other Sunday, so typically twice per month. Would you prefer to keep the current schedule, or would you prefer to switch to once per month? Please vote below. The poll will be open for one week, but the comments are always open!
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Thanks again, everyone! See you in the comments!
Ki
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On cakes that look like real-life objects: This restaurant visit happened way before Netflix’s Is It Cake? was a thing, and I have yet to watch the show.
I agree with Amber. Sometimes you have a new way that may not be tradition but may make it even better or not! You just have to experiment and see. Don’t be afraid to try just go with it!
Experimenting is definitely fun! Although I think it can also be fun to try to recreate something traditional, whether that means something more regionally traditional like paella or a family tradition like Mamaw’s banana pudding :)
I have to say...I'm not a huge rule lover in life, but I do lean toward tradition rather than innovation in food. I feel like a lot of the innovation in food is just for innovation's sake. I always ask, Was that necessary?
Did you see the article this week about the chef who turned a Happy Meal into a pasta dish? That seems highly unnecessary to me, especially when real homemade pasta is so delicious!
Hi, new here! You know, I am from Spain and... love to eat, I confess!! Hahaa Ok, the question about paella... I live in the North of Spain and we cook it ... well, I cook it my way! Someone from Valencia (let's say, a purist) would say the way we cook it here is... a sin! But I like the way we cook it at home! So, different points of view! I like to try and won't reject any innovation.
Hi, Angeles!! Welcome, I’m so happy to have you here 😊
Yes, I know that paella can be quite controversial 😂 How do you make yours? I find that most people in real life are more relaxed about what counts as paella... other than the true purists, like you say haha
What part of Spain are you from (if you don’t mind saying)?
Hi, Kiki!! Thanks! 😀👏 Yes, that's right, most of us just cook it our way! I am from -and live - in Burgos (Castilla y León) and here, the paella does not follow the Valencian "rules" (which I respect, of course! 😅)
I can tell you... We (because my husband also cooks, yey!), we fry onion and green and red pepper, previously cut into small pieces, in olive oil. Then we add prawns, clams, chopped squid (we don't really like to add fish...), and also mussels. Sometimes we also add diced natural tomato.
We fry everything until it is done (the clams and mussels must be open, if they are closed, it is better to remove them, it is not good). Then add the rice. We calculate the quantity: about a small cup of coffee per person. We add an extra cup, but it depends on the person.
About salt, we don't use much, as the ingredients will salt it enough (and salt is not good for health! ;-) ) Well, seriously, in depend on every person, to your taste.
Then we let the rice fry with all the ingredients, so that it takes on the flavour (Not too long!). Add a little saffron (or turmeric). It is better not to use artificial colouring. Actually, this is to give it the typical yellow colour, but it is not an essential requirement either. ;-)
Without waiting too long, cover everything with fish stock and leave it on a medium-low heat to cook the rice. Stir from time to time. When the rice is almost cooked, turn off the heat, remove the pan from the heat and cover it with a tea towel so that the rice finishes cooking.
¡Buen provecho! 😀
This is how we cook it, but if you have any question or don't understand (sorry, my English still needs some improvement! ) feel free to ask.
That’s so cool that you’re from Burgos! I’ve still never been but it’s on my list! I’m not sure how much you’ve gotten to read of the past newsletters, but I live in Madrid, so not tooooo far away :) My partner is from here- a true madrileño y gato- which is how I landed here in the first place!
Thanks for sharing your preparation- it sounds delicious! And your English is great; I think you explained the technique very clearly :) David (my partner, who also cooks- it’s great to have two cooks in the house like you said!) and I usually make the Valencian kind but I like seafood in mine, too! Basically I’ve never met a rice dish I haven’t liked haha
Y por cierto, creo que la mayoría de los lectores aquí vive fuera de España así que escribo en inglés (y manejo el idioma mejor jaja). Pero también hablo castellano así que puedes responder en español en cualquier momento! :)
¡Ay, que bueno, Kiki!! ¡En Madrid!! ¡Sí, creo que son unas 3 horas en coche! And your Spanish... Castillian! 😉 is really good!! It's great if I can use Spanish, thanks!!
Bueno, de hecho, es así como hacemos la paella nosotros, porque nos gusta más con marisco,.. de mar! La verdad, estoy acostumbrada a escribir en los dos idiomas (al menos, hago lo que puedo!!) Jajaaa Pero agradezco poder escribir en mi idioma. So your partner is from Madrid!! 😀👏 So guess you're really used to the "Spanish way of life"!! Glad to find you all here!!
I definitely think there is room for both! You need the traditional aspects because they hold regional, familial, cultural things that are important but it’s always fun to reinvent. The traditional way was not always the tradition! Someone, somewhere invented it as a new and exciting thing that became so beloved it was woven into tradition.
“The traditional way was not always the tradition! Someone, somewhere invented it as a new and exciting thing that became so beloved it was woven into tradition.” This is a great point. Traditions don’t just come out of nowhere; someone had to come up with them in the first place.
I agree with Amber. Sometimes you have a new way that may not be tradition but may make it even better or not! You just have to experiment and see. Don’t be afraid to try just go with it!
Experimenting is definitely fun! Although I think it can also be fun to try to recreate something traditional, whether that means something more regionally traditional like paella or a family tradition like Mamaw’s banana pudding :)
I’m drinking a coffee that looks just like that right now in a coffee shop!
Love those coffees!!! I had one just this morning, so similar!
I love that! Nothing better than a trip to a coffee shop on a Sunday afternoon ☕️
I have to say...I'm not a huge rule lover in life, but I do lean toward tradition rather than innovation in food. I feel like a lot of the innovation in food is just for innovation's sake. I always ask, Was that necessary?
Did you see the article this week about the chef who turned a Happy Meal into a pasta dish? That seems highly unnecessary to me, especially when real homemade pasta is so delicious!
OMG, I did. Um, that's a hard pass. Just make some pasta. LOL
Hi, new here! You know, I am from Spain and... love to eat, I confess!! Hahaa Ok, the question about paella... I live in the North of Spain and we cook it ... well, I cook it my way! Someone from Valencia (let's say, a purist) would say the way we cook it here is... a sin! But I like the way we cook it at home! So, different points of view! I like to try and won't reject any innovation.
Hi, Angeles!! Welcome, I’m so happy to have you here 😊
Yes, I know that paella can be quite controversial 😂 How do you make yours? I find that most people in real life are more relaxed about what counts as paella... other than the true purists, like you say haha
What part of Spain are you from (if you don’t mind saying)?
Hi, Kiki!! Thanks! 😀👏 Yes, that's right, most of us just cook it our way! I am from -and live - in Burgos (Castilla y León) and here, the paella does not follow the Valencian "rules" (which I respect, of course! 😅)
I can tell you... We (because my husband also cooks, yey!), we fry onion and green and red pepper, previously cut into small pieces, in olive oil. Then we add prawns, clams, chopped squid (we don't really like to add fish...), and also mussels. Sometimes we also add diced natural tomato.
We fry everything until it is done (the clams and mussels must be open, if they are closed, it is better to remove them, it is not good). Then add the rice. We calculate the quantity: about a small cup of coffee per person. We add an extra cup, but it depends on the person.
About salt, we don't use much, as the ingredients will salt it enough (and salt is not good for health! ;-) ) Well, seriously, in depend on every person, to your taste.
Then we let the rice fry with all the ingredients, so that it takes on the flavour (Not too long!). Add a little saffron (or turmeric). It is better not to use artificial colouring. Actually, this is to give it the typical yellow colour, but it is not an essential requirement either. ;-)
Without waiting too long, cover everything with fish stock and leave it on a medium-low heat to cook the rice. Stir from time to time. When the rice is almost cooked, turn off the heat, remove the pan from the heat and cover it with a tea towel so that the rice finishes cooking.
¡Buen provecho! 😀
This is how we cook it, but if you have any question or don't understand (sorry, my English still needs some improvement! ) feel free to ask.
That’s so cool that you’re from Burgos! I’ve still never been but it’s on my list! I’m not sure how much you’ve gotten to read of the past newsletters, but I live in Madrid, so not tooooo far away :) My partner is from here- a true madrileño y gato- which is how I landed here in the first place!
Thanks for sharing your preparation- it sounds delicious! And your English is great; I think you explained the technique very clearly :) David (my partner, who also cooks- it’s great to have two cooks in the house like you said!) and I usually make the Valencian kind but I like seafood in mine, too! Basically I’ve never met a rice dish I haven’t liked haha
Y por cierto, creo que la mayoría de los lectores aquí vive fuera de España así que escribo en inglés (y manejo el idioma mejor jaja). Pero también hablo castellano así que puedes responder en español en cualquier momento! :)
¡Ay, que bueno, Kiki!! ¡En Madrid!! ¡Sí, creo que son unas 3 horas en coche! And your Spanish... Castillian! 😉 is really good!! It's great if I can use Spanish, thanks!!
Bueno, de hecho, es así como hacemos la paella nosotros, porque nos gusta más con marisco,.. de mar! La verdad, estoy acostumbrada a escribir en los dos idiomas (al menos, hago lo que puedo!!) Jajaaa Pero agradezco poder escribir en mi idioma. So your partner is from Madrid!! 😀👏 So guess you're really used to the "Spanish way of life"!! Glad to find you all here!!
I definitely think there is room for both! You need the traditional aspects because they hold regional, familial, cultural things that are important but it’s always fun to reinvent. The traditional way was not always the tradition! Someone, somewhere invented it as a new and exciting thing that became so beloved it was woven into tradition.
“The traditional way was not always the tradition! Someone, somewhere invented it as a new and exciting thing that became so beloved it was woven into tradition.” This is a great point. Traditions don’t just come out of nowhere; someone had to come up with them in the first place.