Like all the other Spanish Cities, Cadiz is very popular for its really delicious foods and wines. Cadiz cuisine has Phoenician, Roman, Moorish influences but in character it is a typical Andalusian one.
Here are some tasty dishes you should not miss:
Tapas
Tapas play an important part of the gastronomy in Spain. Tapa is the Spanish word for lid and it means the old fashion of serving a slice of ham covering the mouth of a wineglass.
Tapas are small portions of local dishes, generally eaten with a glass of beer or wine on hand. It is a good way to sample all the treats Cadiz has to offer without spending too much money. Tapas can be joined with almost everything, including cheese and locally produced ham.
In Cadiz you can find the “Ruta del Tapeo” (Tapas Route), where local restaurants and tapas bars serve yummy Tapas” and many other original dishes.
Seafood
As Cadiz lies on the coast of Spain, it is also very popular for its seafood. And there you are able to savour great servings of a wide range of fish, squid, shrimp, sea-snails, sea urchins, prawns and lobster. Seafood dishes you really should sample are:
§ Pescaito frito (fried fish - the Cadiz style)
§ Abaja de pescado (a fish stew of all the best Cadiz offers)
§ Gambas al ajillo (fried prawns with garlic)
§ Tortillitas de camarones (shrimp fritters)
§ Cazon en adobo (marinated dogfish)
§ Caldillo de peros (fish stewed in orange sauce)
Tapas are small portions of local dishes, generally eaten with a glass of beer or wine on hand. It is a good way to sample all the treats Cadiz has to offer without spending too much money. Tapas can be joined with almost everything, including cheese and locally produced ham.
Wine and Sherry
The towns Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Puerto de Santa Maria and Jerez de la Frontera in north Cadiz are home to some of the most important producers of sherry and brandy. In addition to several varieties and types of sherry there is also a wine called “Manzanilla” and is made only in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Because of the high humidity of Doñana, this wine is much paler and drier than other sherries of the region.
Sherry is a wine processed with extra alcohol to bring up the alcohol content to between 16-20%. There are five main styles of sherry:
§ Fino (light, pale-golden coloured, dry; alcohol content: between 15.5-16.5 %)
§ Manzanilla (very dry, pale sherry, lighter than Fino; alcohol content: 14-15 %)
§ Amontillado (an older Fino, richer in character, soft copper or amber colour; alcohol content: 18-20 %)
§ Oloroso (rich, dark, dry, mahogany, with a full rich nose; alcoholic content: 21 %)
§ Cream sherries (a blend of dry Oloroso and sweet Pedro Ximénez; alcoholic content: normally 20-22%)
Food and Wine Fairs in Cadiz
§ Pestiñada: in January, Plaza de San Francisco
§ Erizada: in January, Barrio de la Vina
§ Ostionada: in January, Plaza de San Antonio
§ Food Convention: in December, Palacio de la Diputación
Whilst in Andalusia, why not take advantage of visiting other nearby cities to sample their cuisine? By investing in a night in one of the hoteles Málaga, you can venture out and try some of Spain’s most delicious desserts: the yemas de San Leandra or the buñuelos de San Benito (like very sweet profiteroles filled with rich cream) are not to be missed! However, do bear in mind that whilst in the costal regions, the calamares (squid in batter served with lemon) are a refreshing treat after spending the day sight-seeing and are definately something you’ll want to replicate at home.
Enjoy you meal and ¡buen provecho!