Our father Don Harris was affectionately called "Don Don" (Mr. Don) by some of our Spanish friends. Such a familiar honorific was so perfect for dad, a man who created so many warm personal bonds with his Spanish friends that he naturally earned their love and respect. 

From the day we founded La Tienda 30 years ago, Don valued relationships above all else, more than great food or business success. He was energized by the strong connection he created with our Spanish partners, from Abel Rodriguez, the Cordoban purveyor of Ibérico ham, to Carmen Gutiérrez-Colosía, a generous and welcoming sherry wine maker.

Don loved Spain for its sense of community, a culture where family, and especially children, are treasured. He was by no means a gourmand, preferring simpler pleasures: a great loaf of bread, a slice of tortilla de patatas, and his favorite, a plate of piping hot croquetas de jamón. Don passed peacefully in 2024, but his legacy of welcoming and connection lives on through La Tienda.

Here are a few of Don's very favorite foods from Spain, I hope you enjoy them too!

Jonathan - La Tienda

America is in love with tapas. Or at least the word tapas is used at all kinds of restaurants across the country. In the U.S., this usually means sharing a variety of small plates with fellow diners around a restaurant table so everyone gets to try each dish. While I personally love dining this way, it can be pretty far from the true Spanish tapas tradition.

First of all, tapas are by definition always Spanish food. There is no such thing as Asian or Mexican tapas, just as there is no Spanish sushi or burritos. The world has other great small plates traditions, from Middle Eastern mezze to Chinese dim sum and Italian aperitivo. There's no reason to use the word tapas for these other admittedly delicious styles of eating. Plus, Spain has a wealth of delectable foods, from Galician seafood to Andalucian jamón, and there's no need to add flavors from far afield.

Secondly, tapas is just as much an activity as an eating style. Barcelona and Madrid have streets lined with dozens of tapas bars, each specializing in a particular tapa. My friends and I love stopping by a tapas bar, ordering a drink and enjoying their signature tapa while standing around a tall table. We could order grilled mushrooms topped with shrimp and a small beer in one place, then a pincho moruno pork skewer and a cup of wine in the next, never staying longer than fifteen or twenty minutes at each location. All the while, each of the bars is filled with patrons talking, sharing stories and enjoying each other's company.

This casual camaraderie and connection over tasty bites of food is the third signature of Spanish tapas. Unlike a restaurant meal, a tapas crawl is full of surprises, unexpected flavors and impromptu conversations with friends and strangers along the way. An evening of tapas has a loose informality that encourages new discoveries and shared experiences.

So, enjoy that "tapa" of a Thai spring roll or an Angus slider at a U.S. restaurant. But remember that true Spanish tapas is a whole experience, a time of camaraderie and adventure while enjoying delicious bites of Spain's incredible foods at each stop along the way.

¡Hola! I'm Jonathan Harris, one of the owners of La Tienda. I love sharing insights about Spain's amazing food culture. Learn more >

This year we’re celebrating 30 years of La Tienda, and it all began in our family’s basement back in 1996. With just a handful of foods from Spain and a big passion for sharing them, we started a small shop that has since grown to nearly 600 authentic products, now filling our warehouse in Virginia.

Along the way, so many of the foods we carry were discovered thanks to customers like you. Your suggestions, enthusiasm and love for Spanish flavors helped shape what La Tienda is today, and we’re deeply grateful for your support over the years.

To celebrate, we’re sharing some of our family’s all time favorite foods and cookware, including items made by artisans we first met decades ago in Spain. We hope you’ll enjoy them as much as we do.

A few slices of Jamón Ibérico, a wedge of Manchego cheese, a crisp Manzanilla olive. As you nibble on these classic Spanish foods plucked from an impressive charcuterie board, it’s hard to imagine everything that it takes to bring these flavors to your table.

Our family is celebrating 30 years of La Tienda. We’ve spent decades meeting with small Spanish suppliers across Spain, establishing close, cooperative relationships and helping them to gain entry into the U.S. market.

In the 1990s, many of the challenges were related to how new Spanish food was in the U.S. It’s hard to imagine now, but besides a few cans of Goya olives and bottles of grocery store olive oil, it was nearly impossible to find Spanish food in most of America.

Part of our job was to educate the country about this amazing cuisine, not only customers, but our food inspectors as well. I remember driving a load of Serrano hams to Smithfield, Virginia, to have them sliced. Halfway through the day, the USDA inspector pulled me and the slicing manager aside and declared that this ham was uncooked and our “ready to eat” labels were all wrong. I patiently tried to explain that jamón doesn’t need cooking, but he was sticking to his decision. Thankfully he talked to his fellow inspector who was born in Italy, and he said, “It’s fine, it’s like prosciutto!” I was lucky that day, but it is still amazing how often we’ve had to inform and explain Spain’s foods to the uninitiated.

We’ve also helped dozens of small producers in Spain to improve their labels and paperwork to comply with U.S. rules. It’s not only translating grams, milliliters and kilos into our units of measure, it’s adding nutritional panels and ensuring all the wording follows size and content guidelines. Then there is the required paperwork: USDA/FSIS proof of inspection, Fish and Wildlife permits, HACCP analysis, low acid canned food documentation, etc. I won’t bore you with more details! But we get a lot of satisfaction from helping these small family companies take the necessary steps to reach the U.S. market and share their products with you.

We’ve also had to adjust to the rhythms of nature in Spain. Because we are working with small artisan companies, changes in the climate and landscape in Spain can affect their production. If there is a drought in Andalucía, olive oil and olives can get more expensive. If we don’t plan our orders right, those sweet piquillo peppers from Navarra will run out of stock and we’ll have to wait for the next harvest. If the sardines aren’t running in Galicia, there may be a shortage of canned sardinillas.

One of the most interesting product cycles pertains to Spain’s most treasured artisan product, Jamón Ibérico de Bellota. This rare ham comes from a special Ibérico breed of pigs that live up to two years outside on the dehesa savannah, feasting on sweet acorns in the winter. The hams are then hung to cure for up to four additional years before they are ready to be sliced and served. So, a ham producer must guess the demand for jamón six years into the future! If demand slows, fewer pigs are released onto the dehesa and fewer hams are hung to cure. Because of this, six years later there is a shortage (and a price increase.) This shortage then encourages curing houses to put more hams away to cure, which will cause a glut and lower prices in another six years. And the cycle continues!

Finally, Spain is adapting to the fact that the new generation is less interested in working the land, tending to animals and laboring in small workshops. We have seen several artisan businesses close for lack of workers and/or lack of interest from the new generation. Some companies are adapting by raising wages and recruiting immigrant labor through government programs. But they are also dealing with a pile of extra costs beyond labor, from fuel and fertilizer to transport and packaging.

These challenges are a real threat to the Spanish food traditions that are an essential part of Spain’s rich culture. That is why we prioritize working with small artisan companies, providing them with orders and logistical support to help their family businesses thrive. We are currently working with a two-person company to help them export their amazing salsa brava sauce. They don’t know the first thing about how to proceed! But we can provide expertise and marketing support to help them expand and flourish. Working with small Spanish family businesses is not the easiest or cheapest way to run our company but supporting them gives us joy every day.

¡Hola! I'm Jonathan Harris, one of the owners of La Tienda. I love sharing insights about Spain's amazing food culture. Learn more >

When we started La Tienda in our parents’ basement 30 years ago, Spain's incredible foods were little known across the U.S. Our father, Don Harris, was a Navy chaplain, and our family fell in love with Spain and the Spanish people when we were stationed in Rota in the 1970s. Our brother Chris was even born in Spain! The connection was so strong, our family spent the next 20 years traveling throughout the country, visiting cities and towns, and studying as students.

Back in the U.S., we often prepared dishes we had grown to love in Spain: tortilla Española, pollo al ajillo, croquetas and, of course, paella! But we found it difficult to find authentic Spanish ingredients.

In 1996, our family embarked on a mission to share our passion for all things Spanish through a company we named La Tienda, or "the shop." And we had a stroke of incredible luck; a new way of shopping was just becoming popular - the Internet! Ecommerce was in its infancy. Just the year before, an online bookseller called Amazon was launched. We secured a web address, Tienda.com, and created a simple website to test the waters. Now shoppers could discover our tiny family business from anywhere. It’s hard to overstate how amazing this was! Without the internet we never could have afforded the marketing investment to reach our customers.

At first, we offered a few iconic Spanish products like Cola Cao chocolate mix, Castille soap, piquillo peppers, paella rice and extra virgin olive oil. Spain's iconic jamón was not allowed in the U.S. at that point, so we posted a photo of a Serrano ham and asked visitors if they'd be interested. Hundreds of people responded! Our father, Don, would send an email newsletter every month updating our clients on our progress in bringing in jamón, along with essays about the Spanish culture he loved so much. This tradition of sharing monthly newsletters continues to this day.

In the beginning, most of our customers were Spanish, often professionals with access to the Internet at work. They were hungry for a taste of home and were thrilled to find La Tienda. A few fellow Americans in the know discovered us as well, including military members and intrepid tourists, but when we started Spanish cuisine was relatively unknown.

While we waited for jamón, customers also requested many other Spanish foods that they missed. Inspired by these suggestions, every year we traveled across Spain to seek out new products. Along the way, we met dozens of food artisans and built relationships that have lasted decades. Remarkably, we are now doing business with the children of some of those original partners. And the suggestions of our customers helped us discover more about Spanish food traditions than we ever thought possible!

When Spanish hams were finally allowed in 1998, the USDA was concerned about a little white mold on their surfaces and blocked the importation. Our father sprang into action! He bought a Smithfield country ham (coated in harmless white mold) from Virginia and drove it up to the inspector's office in Washington, D.C. Through perseverance, he was able to secure a meeting with the USDA inspector. As he pulled the Smithfield ham out of its box, he said; “If America’s iconic ham can have mold, why is Spanish ham any different?” Soon after, the first Jamón Serrano in modern history was available in the U.S.

That year La Tienda became the first ecommerce company to sell Jamón Serrano in the U.S. We even had legs of jamón hanging in our family basement! Every day we would pack a few boxes of hams and other Spanish foods, then load them into a UPS truck that backed down the steep driveway to our garage door.

Over the years, our collection of Spanish food and cookware has grown from a few dozen foods to over 600 products from over 80 producers. We long ago moved into a proper warehouse and have a great team of employees. This year we will ship packages to over 100,000 families across the U.S. Yet we are still awestruck at the richness of Spain's food heritage, and the hardworking families that safeguard these culinary traditions. Our father passed away in 2024, and it was so touching to see friends travel all the way from Spain to pay their respects.

Over the years, every member of our family has worked to support La Tienda! Through it all, we have stayed committed to our values of community, quality and respect for our Spanish partners and our employees. Family members Jonathan, Tim, Ruth, Chris, Amy, Stacey, Rian, Sam, Ben, Cole and Anna Bell have all contributed to La Tienda's success. We brothers (Jonathan and Tim) run the company now, and our father Don's spirit of joy and generosity guides us every day.

The beauty of Spain is in its people, in their deep sense of community, connection and pride of place. Since La Tienda’s early days, the people of Spain have welcomed our family into their homes and shared their traditions and tables with us. It is our privilege to work with them to bring the treasures of Spanish cuisine to your table and to share the welcoming and joyful spirit of Spain with you.

Hola! I'm Jonathan Harris, one of the owners of La Tienda. I love sharing insights about Spain's amazing food culture. Learn more >

Spain has such a vibrant history and architectural heritage that I sometimes think of Spanish cuisine as ancient and unchanging. Valencians must have always treasured paella, and the people of Sevilla must have cooled off with refreshing gazpacho from time immemorial.

This is ridiculous, of course. There are some Spanish food traditions that started thousands of years ago, from curing Ibérico ham to pressing olive oil. But Spanish cuisine is also constantly changing and adapting to new food cultures and ingredients, from the rice, saffron and citrus introduced by the Moors to the tomatoes, potatoes and peppers from the Americas. Name an iconic Spanish dish, including paella or gazpacho, and it easy to see the influence of once exotic foods and traditions that are now seen as fundamentally Spanish.

As food culture has become global, Spanish ways of eating are evolving to include more convenient dining options, international ingredients and health trends. But the incredible variety of Spain’s food traditions mean that many of the “modern” food trends for 2026 have been a part of Spanish way of life for centuries.

Here is a list of food trends for 2026!

Fabulous Fiber

The world has woken up to the value of foods high in fiber. This would not be news to the cook that I met at a humble restaurant in Galicia when I walked the Camino de Santiago. As she wiped her hands on her apron, I asked her for a menu. She smiled and said she served only one dish: Cocido de Garbanzos, a hearty stew of chickpeas flavored with cured meats. It was amazing! When my kids attended a school in Jerez de la Frontera, lunch was not chicken nuggets and tater tots. Instead, it was often a sit-down meal of lentejas (lentils) or alubias (white beans). The Spanish have been following the fiber trend for centuries. And they are fanatics about quality, from hand-tended Fabes de La Granja beans to wood fire roasted piquillo peppers.

Red Meat Is Back

After a flirtation with highly processed meat alternatives, food trends are turning toward high-quality red meat. People are looking to add protein to their diets, and red meat is an important and delicious source. Customers are also seeking humane and healthful cuts of meat. Spain his an abundance of exceptional red meats, from acorn-fed Ibérico pork steaks (yes, Ibérico pork is red meat!) to pasture-raised lamb and incredible steaks from mature steer (chuletón de buey).

Light Appetizers with Apéritifs at Home

This trend sounds a lot like...tapas! Apéritifs are light, dry drinks that open up the appetite before a meal, usually served with small bites of food. The Spanish are absolute pros when it comes to small plates, often paired with a glass of dry vermouth or sherry, or their beloved “gin tonic.” They are often paired with seafood conservas, sliced jamon, slices of aged cheese and simple small dishes. The Spanish don’t need to change a thing to follow this trend!

Freezer Fine Dining

As restaurant prices have climbed to dizzying heights, people are turning to quality frozen dishes with enticing spices and flavors. In Spain, the variety of heat and serve options is increasing every year. We’ve seen a lot of growth in quality convenient options, from frozen paella and tortilla de patatas to cook at home croquetas, gourmet tinned stews and stuffed piquillo peppers.

Charcuterie Boards Are Still in for 2026

The charcuterie board is alive and well! Spain has a treasure trove of incredible charcuterie, from Serrano and Ibérico ham, to smoky chorizos, cecina aged beef and peppery salchichón sausages. And you can complete your board with great Spanish cheeses, from the legendary Manchego cheese from La Mancha to buttery Tetilla from Galicia and creamy blue Valdeón from the Picos de Europa mountains.

What’s for Dessert?

Global inspirations are big in desserts, along with simple and convenient preparation. Again, the Iberian Peninsula has delicious desserts to offer! We are seeing strong sales on creamy Burnt Basque cheesecake and toast and serve churros from Valencia, along with bake and serve Pastel de Nata tarts (Portuguese, I know, but they are amazing!)

Since we started La Tienda thirty years ago, we’ve been continually astonished by the wealth of Spain’s food heritage. Our family is still discovering new foods and culinary traditions every year as we travel the country. It is not a surprise to me that many of this year’s latest food trends have long been part of Spain’s amazing food culture.

¡Hola! I'm Jonathan Harris, one of the owners of La Tienda. I love sharing insights about Spain's amazing food culture. Learn more >

As you settle in for Christmas, I’d like to tell you about our friend José Manuel, owner of the legendary candy maker, Turrones 1880. Hopefully you are sipping a nice cup of coffee and nibbling some turrón candy as you read this!

We met José Manuel Sirvent for the first time many years ago in the town of Jijona. This small village in the mountains is surrounded by almond groves and abundant honeybees, producing the key ingredients for turrón candy - almonds and honey. Over hundreds of years the village became synonymous with turrón, so much so that one of the most famous types is called Jijona.

The Sirvent family business is deeply woven into the town’s history. José Manuel is the current guardian of his family’s legacy of candy making, which started in Jijona all the way back in 1725. That was when the first members of the Sirvent family began blending almonds and honey into the rich turrón that would become a Spanish Christmas classic. (1880 is a reference to the year the ‘modern’ recipe was perfected.)

In Spain, turrón candy is a celebrated holiday tradition, when the sweets are presented on a tray for guests at Christmas. For José Manuel, they represent a tribute to the generations that kept the craft alive through wars, natural disasters and changing tastes.

José Manuel was literally born into the world of turrón. His earliest memories are of the scent of toasted almonds and warm honey drifting up from the factory floor into the family home above. Those mornings of helping open the shop, serving customers and watching which sweets caught their eye sparked his early fascination with the family business.

After studying in the U.S., he was still exploring his path in life in his 20s. The tragic passing of his brother at just 25 years old changed his life forever, bringing him home to help with the family business. Eventually his father appointed him general manager of 1880, making him the tenth generation to run the company.

Over the years, José Manuel and his family have modernized their facilities and expanded their selection of turrón, always with an eye on tradition. And now, the eleventh generation has arrived: Beatriz and Isabel, his niece and daughter, are now part of the leadership team, the first women to run the company in its three-century history. His son, Juan Antonio, contributes as well. So, the tradition continues as strong as ever.

Our visits with José Manuel have always included exploration and discovery. He and my brother Tim hiked into the Alicante mountains and happened upon a herd of mouflones, magnificent wild mountain sheep. He showed Tim some ancient neveros, or wells, that were used to store winter snow. In the summer, the snow was transported to the cities at lower elevations where it was used, among other things, for making turrón ice cream!

Another time, we traveled to his finca in Morocco, where he grows thousands of Marcona almond trees to supplement the Spanish almond harvest. The air was so thick with honeybees pollinating the white almond flowers that we had to scurry for shelter! He then explained that almonds are in the same family as plums and peaches, and that many almond trees are actually grafts on a peach tree trunk. Holding a dried almond in its shell, I suddenly noticed how similar it was to a peach pit.

After spending a day in the almond groves with José Manuel, I could see clearly that the ancient craft of turrón making, of expertly blending rich roasted almonds with sweet amber honey, is in his blood. Tim and I feel so fortunate to know José Manuel and see his family’s deep legacy transitioning to a new generation.

¡Feliz Navidad!

¡Hola! I'm Jonathan Harris, one of the owners of La Tienda. I love sharing insights about Spain's amazing food culture. Learn more >

As someone who has traveled Spain for many years, people often people ask me to describe Spanish food, what it tastes like and how is it special. It’s a hard question! With Spain’s distinct regions and such a rich history, it is hard to give a short answer. From the roasted meat culture of Castilla y Leon to ‘pescaito frito’ seafood, fried to perfection in Cádiz, there is an amazing variety of techniques and dishes in Spain that I love.

If I had to give a short answer, I would say all Spanish cooking traditions share a love for fresh seasonal ingredients that are prepared simply to allow their flavors to shine. And, in every region of Spain, food is all about connecting and sharing with friends and family. Finally, though it may seem obvious to a lot of you, food from Spain is definitely not spicy! In fact it has very little similarity to the cuisine of Mexico (as good as that can be!)

For those of you who are new to Spain’s incredible food culture, I’d like to share a short description of the traditions and cooking styles that are the foundation of Spanish cuisine.

Fresh, Local Ingredients

Whenever I visit a city in Spain, the local market is a top destination. Whether it is the famous Mercat de la Boqueria in Barcelona, or smaller but bustling Mercado de la Concepción in El Puerto de Santa María, I find it invigorating to see beautiful local produce, ultra-fresh seafood and local charcuterie. On one visit to El Puerto I saw a woman tending a basket of live snails, whisking them back as they tried to make a run for it!

Local pride in food from the area is always impressive to me. In Sanlúcar de Barrameda on the southern Atlantic coast, they have a special shrimp that thrives off the Guadalquivir River estuary – you can’t find it anywhere else. Just sixty miles away in Huelva, they celebrate their “gamba blanca” shrimp and call it the “queen of shellfish”. So much for calling them small, medium and jumbo shrimp!

Whether it is the famous local shrimp in Andalucía, the tender artichokes of Navarra or the roasted lamb of Segovia, the Spanish prefer simple preparation techniques that let the fresh ingredients shine. There is no need to drown the ingredients in sauces or bury them in pasta when you have excellent locally sourced foods.

Grilling & Roasting

Speaking of simple, honest preparation, grilling (a la parrilla) and roasting (asado) are popular in almost all of Spain’s 17 regions. There is nothing tastier than feasting on grilled fish in the Basque port town of Getaria. I remember sitting at a table with a view of the fishing boats that dock nearby – the fresh catch is taken straight from the boat to the ‘parrilla’ and served with minimal seasoning.

In Segovia they roast suckling pig in wood fired ovens, or "hornos de leña" until the skin is crackling and the pork melts in your mouth. It is so tender, they literally cut it with a porcelain plate. Other amazing grilled foods are fresh chorizo sausages, pulpo a la gallega (Galician-style octopus) and lechazo (roast lamb from Castilla y León).

Sautéing & Frying

Sautéing (sofrito) is a foundational way of cooking in Spain. A mixture of garlic, onions, tomatoes and peppers is gently cooked in olive oil to form the base of many dishes. “Tomate frito” is a sauteed tomato sauce that is the base of many Spanish dishes, from cocidos to empanadas and paella.

Frying in olive oil is an important method, especially in Andalucía, where pescaíto frito (fried fish, fresh from the sea) is a beloved street food. I love ordering a plate of ‘puntillitas’, lightly breaded tiny squid, and eating them like popcorn!

When talking about frying, I have to spotlight churros. In Spain, going to the “churrería” for freshly fried churros pastries is a way of life, usually served with thick “chocolate a la taza” for dipping. The Spanish snack on them for breakfast, an afternoon snack (merienda) or as a classic hangover food after a late night on the town.

Rice & Paella Cooking

Rice is a classic Spanish ingredient, ever since it was introduced by the Moors 1,000 years ago. I remember visiting the beautiful rice fields of Valencia in the Albufera Natural park, a beautiful landscape of swaying rice plants and abundant wildlife. I could picture the farmers pausing in their harvest to prepare a simple meal on a flat pan, featuring the short grained rice of their fields with what was at hand – maybe a rabbit snared nearby, plump snails plucked from the blades of grass and a few dried beans from a burlap bag. From this humble farmer’s meal was born the famous paella of Valencia.

Strictly speaking, the authentic paella of Valencia is still based on these original ingredients, along with aromatic saffron that was another gift from the moors. The flat paellera, or paella pan, is also essential because it distributes the heat evenly and allows for a thin layer of al dente rice that absorbs all the flavors.

There are many other delicious rice dishes in Spain, often called “arroces” or rices. I love “arroz caldoso”, featuring a soupy broth with seafood or meats. “Arroz abanda” is an intensely flavorful seafood dish originating in Alicante, prepared in a paellara. The name "a banda" translates to "on the side," referring to how the fish is served apart from the rice, often with a side of alioli or the local sauce, salmorreta. There are many other rices you should try, like “arroz con pollo” , “arroz negro”, “arroz de la montaña” and “arroz don mariscos.”

Curing, Pickling & Salting

Arguably the most beloved foods of Spain originated from necessity of preserving foods for the winter. Spanish ham, or jamón, has been salted and cured for millennia – jamón was even a favorite of the Romans, who imported them from Spain. Jamón Serrano and Ibérico is central to every region of Spain, from Cataluña to Sevilla.

Salting fish was introduced to Spain by the Phoenicians. My father and I visited a seafood curing house in Barbate where anchovies were aged in a barrel packed with sea salt brine until each delicate fillet was cut and rinsed by hand. In another room on the roof, slabs of Almadraba tuna were salted and hung in the sea breezes to dry, creating intensely flavorful mojama. It was amazing witnessing methods that had not changed in thousands of years. Another ancient curing tradition from the north of Spain is “bacalao”, or salted cod. This staple has fed the Spanish people for centuries and is an essential ingredient in many recipes.

Pickling (escabeche) with wine vinegar is also common, especially for fish like “boquerones” (white anchovy fillets) and vegetables, like baby eggplant, guindilla peppers and sweet pickled garlic.

Slow Cooking & Simmering

Another classic cooking method is slow cooking. Stews like cocido madrileño and fabada asturiana from the mountainous region of Asturias are simmered for hours to develop deep, rich flavors. These rich stews are especially common in colder regions, where hearty meals are preferred. I remember stopping at a small restaurant in Galicia when I was walking the Camino de Santiago. I asked for a menu and the owner waved her finger – they only served one dish, “cocido de garbanzo.” It was delicious!

Baking & Pastry Making

Spain also has a rich tradition of baking, especially in the form of breads like pan con tomate and pastries such as ensaimadas. Galicia is credited with introducing the world to empanadas, seafood stuffed pies, which originally served as a snack that was east for workers to carry.

Tapas Culture

Finally, I must write about Spain’s amazing tapas. Tapas is less a way of cooking than a way of living. There is nothing more Spanish than meeting friends at a bar or café to catch up and share a bite and a drink. Authentic tapas are simple small dishes made from local ingredients, a microcosm of Spain’s food culture.

Spanish cooking traditions are a celebration of local flavors, simplicity and community. Whether it's the slow-simmered stews of the north or the fried seafood of the Andalucian coast, Spanish food offers an amazing variety of flavors rooted in centuries of tradition. And the Spanish way of eating is always about sharing great food with friends and family.

¡Hola! I'm Jonathan Harris, one of the owners of La Tienda. I love sharing insights about Spain's amazing food culture. Learn more >

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The crowd gathered in the plaza of the fairytale village of La Alberca, a town preserved in medieval simplicity. Dancers and musicians dressed in period costumes danced and played around the 12th century stone cross in the center of the square. Visitors had traveled from far and wide to celebrate an even more ancient treasure of Spain—the iconic Spanish ham, Jamón Ibérico. This was where the first Ibérico hams to arrive in the United States were aged in the cool mountain air under the supervision of maestro de jamón Santiago Martín.

My brother, Chris, and I had arrived after a three-hour drive from Madrid, across the plains and into the hills of the region of Salamanca. We had been invited by the Martín family, owners of Jamones y Embutidos Fermín, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their incredible achievement. This small family ham company, from a tiny village in the mountains, was the first approved by the USDA to export Ibérico ham to the U.S. We were honored to be among the first to sell their hams when they arrived in America in 2005.

We were ushered into the town’s historic theatre, where we mingled with old friends and Spanish dignitaries. Chef José Andrés was an honored guest—he is a close partner with the Martín family and played a crucial role in introducing Ibérico ham to the U.S. The front row also featured other prominent figures, including the governor of the Salamanca region, the town mayor, important financiers and many other partners who helped Fermín succeed.

I was delighted to see several old friends and fellow importers from America, including Alex from La Española in Los Angeles, Marcos and Angélica from Despaña in New York City and Ernesto from Delicias de España in Miami. All three of these family companies have championed the incredible culture and cuisine of Spain for decades.

The greatest treasure was to see the whole Martín family gathered in celebration. From this village of a little more than 1,000 people, they had conquered the U.S. market with their artisan hams and sausages. After the official event, we gathered in the garden of a local hotel, feasted on tapas and raised a glass to celebrate the event.

As the family gathered for official photos, presided over by Santiago with his impressive beard, I was delighted to see two of his little grandchildren crawling around at his feet. Would they be hushed and shooed away? Of course not! Santiago leaned down and lifted a grandson in the air, tickling him as he wiggled in his grandfather’s arms. As the festivities continued, and the adults talked with friends, family and colleagues, the kids just enjoyed themselves without much supervision.

This is a part of Spanish culture that I love the most, the sense of community and family that is at its heart. Many times, I have seen Spanish families, including grandparents, cousins and close friends, gather at a restaurant or town square to share time together. And no matter how late at night, there are always children playing and interacting with their families. Every event is an occasion to renew connections and share in the joy of life with those closest to you.

What the Martín family has accomplished is a tribute to the vibrant, resilient culture of Spain. Twenty years ago, the entire family worked together with their community to be the first to export Jamón Ibérico, the jewel of Spanish cuisine to the U.S. Every Fermín ham that we sell carries this legacy, of artisans from a tiny village in the mountains determined to share their heritage and culture with the world.

¡Enhorabuena Jamones Fermín y la familia Martín!

 

¡Hola! I'm Jonathan Harris, one of the owners of La Tienda. I love sharing insights about Spain's amazing food culture. Learn more >

When we first lived in Andalucía in the 1970s, our family fell in love with some of Spain’s classic dishes—from churros pastries to refreshing gazpacho and crispy ‘pescaito frito’ fried fish. Over the years we’ve learned we were only scratching the surface of this amazing food culture. Spain's cuisine is a delicious adventure, with a diversity of culinary treasures born of a rich history, varied landscapes and a deep-rooted love of food. Food reflects Spain’s identity, in that it is a celebration of the treasures of each region, and it is central to Spain’s deep sense of community.

A Culinary Melting Pot

Spain’s cuisine is a result of centuries of influences from very different cultures. The Romans introduced olive oil and wine, which are central to Spanish cuisine to this day. The Moors, during their 700-year presence, profoundly influenced the cuisine, bringing foods like rice, almonds, citrus, and spices like saffron, cinnamon and nutmeg. The discovery of the Americas in 1492 brought a wealth of new ingredients that transformed Spanish cooking, including tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and chocolate. All these influences come together in dishes like paella, which incorporates rice and saffron popularized by the Moors, olive oil from the Romans and tomatoes from the Americas.

Spanish Ingredients & Regional Diversity

Spanish cuisine is built on a foundation of fresh, high quality and often locally sourced ingredients. Spain is the world’s biggest producer of olive oil, and this healthy oil is the cornerstone of many dishes. Other crucial ingredients include:

Seafood: Spain is surrounded by the sea and boasts an abundance of fresh fish and seafood. Even in landlocked Madrid, the seafood displays at the market are astonishing in the variety of ultra fresh seafood. Fresh seafood is a key part of the healthy Mediterranean Diet and is part of the recipe for Spaniard’s longevity. Preserved seafood is also important in Spain. Bacalao, or salt cod, is a classic, especially in the Basque Country. Canned fish and shellfish are revered and sometimes cost more than the fresh version.

Pork: Beloved across Spain, pork is featured in a wealth of regional dishes. Familiar cuts like pork chops (chuletas) and tenderloins (solomillos) are popular. But Spaniards enjoy many other cuts, like cheeks (carilleras) and even ears (orejas). Suckling pig, or cochinillo, is a classic north of Madrid in cities like Segovia. In recent years the pork of the iconic Ibérico breed has become available – you must try this pork; it is a meltingly delicious revelation!

Other Meats: Suckling lamb, or cordero lechal, is prized in Castilla y León for its tenderness. Chuletón de buey, or ox steak, is an incredible beef steak from animals up to 12 years old. Chicken is also a common ingredient: I love pollo al ajillo, or garlic chicken, for instance.

Ham: Jamón, and particularly Jamón Ibérico, is Spain’s most treasured food. Legs of ham are hung to dry for up to four years, creating a true ham masterpiece. The ultimate Spanish ham is Jamón Ibérico de Bellota, from pasture-raised Ibérico pigs finished on sweet acorns.

Charcuterie: Cured sausages can be found in every region of Spainespecially smoky, rich chorizos. Like many Spanish foods, every region has its signature flavors. Catalunya is the home of fuet, a mild sausage seasoned with pepper. Mallorca is the birth place of sobrasada, a soft, spreadable chorizo. And there is a cornucopia of other delicious sausages, including butifarra, salchichón, lomo embuchado, caña de lomo and more.

Cheese: Spain boasts hundreds of artisan cheese, to the famous Manchego cheese of La Mancha, to Catalan garrotxa, Galician tetilla and Mahón from the island of Menorca. An amazing number of Spanish cheeses are still made by small families, preserving the ancient traditions of their region.

Vegetables & Beans: Tomatoes, peppers, garlic and onions are fundamental to countless dishes in Spain, from pan con tomate to caldo gallego. Legumes, like chickpeas and beans, are also important, featuring prominently in hearty stews like cocido madrileño.

Rice: An essential Spanish ingredient, rice is featured in paella and many other dishes. Most rice is grown in the Valencia region. Short, grained rice is the most popular, with strains like Senia and Bomba prized for their ability to absorb flavors without breaking apart. We source some of our rice from the mountain village of Calasparra, where paddies are fed by cool mountain waters.

Saffron: Harvested from purple crocus flowers, 1 oz of saffron requires stamens from 4,000 flowers. Saffron adds color and an aromatic flavor to many dishes, like paella and Catalan seafood stew. Don’t worry, it only takes a pinch to add loads of flavor to a recipe.

Spanish cuisine boasts a stunning variety across its seventeen regions, with each area bringing its own unique flavors and cooking methods. From the sun kissed countryside of Andalucía to the lush mountains of Catalunya, each region offers its own culinary treasures. A few examples:

Andalucía: This sunny region in the deep south of Spain is known as the birthplace of tapas and cold soups such as gazpacho and salmorejo. Most Jamón Ibérico comes from this region and pescaito frito, or fried fish, is also a classic.

Valencia: On the Mediterranean coast, Valencia is the birthplace of paella and countless rice dishes. Horchata de chufa is a frosty sweet drink from the region, often served with pastries called fartons. Valencia is famed for its oranges, which make their way into many recipes.

Basque Country: On the far northeast coast of Spain, the Basque Country is famous for seafood dishes including salt cod (bacalao). Pintxos originated here, small bites usually served on bread with a skewer (”pintxo” means “spike” in Basque.) The Basque region also boasts amazing steaks, artisan cheeses, tender Bonito del Norte tuna and the famous Basque cheesecake.

Catalunya: This famous region in eastern Spain offers a rich variety of dishes. Pa amb tomáquet (pan con tomate) is an iconic dish of bread rubbed with tomatoes and drizzled with olive oil. Fideuà is similar to paella but made with pasta noodles instead of rice. And crema catalana is a famous dessert similar to crème brûlée and seasoned with lemon zest and cinnamon.

As you can see from my descriptions of just a few regions, Spain is blessed with a deep variety of dishes and food traditions. After decades of travel across the country, we are still discovering new ingredients and food ways.

Spain’s Most Famous Dishes

Several dishes have become internationally famous and are now ambassadors of Spain’s cuisine:

Paella: A rice dish cooked in a wide pan, traditionally made with rabbit and chicken (paella valenciana), or with fresh seafood.

Tapas: Small plates to be shared, tapas are a cornerstone of Spanish social dining. Often these little bites are served free when you order a beer or wine.

Tortilla Española: A simple yet iconic Spanish omelet made with eggs, potatoes, and often onions. Tortilla is a favorite dish at tapas bars across Spain.

Gazpacho: A refreshing chilled soup made from raw vegetables, like fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, a perfect antidote for a hot summer day.

Patatas Bravas: Fried potatoes served with a mildly spicy tomato sauce and often aioli, this is a tapas bar staple.

Sangría: This refreshing wine cocktail with fresh fruit is now enjoyed across the world.

The Importance of Food Culture in Spain

Food in Spain is about more than just eating; it's central to how Spaniards connect. Meals are a time for gathering with family and friends, fostering connection and community. The tradition of tapas is a perfect example, an opportunity to get together and share conversation and a tasty bite. Mealtimes themselves are celebrated, with a leisurely pace and the cherished practice of sobremesa, the time spent in conversation after the main meal.

Spanish cuisine is a delicious window into the Spanish way of life. From its historical influences and rich regional traditions to its emphasis on fresh ingredients and the sense of community built around great meals, Spanish food culture is a treasure to be experienced. Whether sharing a festive paella, gathering for tapas with friends, or sampling delicacies from the sea, Spain is all about connecting with others around the table. Our family feels privileged to share this amazing culture with you.

 

¡Hola! I'm Jonathan Harris, one of the owners of La Tienda. I love sharing insights about Spain's amazing food culture. Learn more >

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A wedge of rich, nutty Manchego cheese made from the milk of sheep that wander the pastures in La Mancha. A nibble of spicy, creamy Cabrales blue cheese, made from the milk of cows and goats that clamber up the steep yet verdant Picos de Europa mountains of Asturias. These incredible cheeses depend on a hero of the artisan food world – the shepherd. Across Spain, these resilient farmers tend their animals, ensuring their welfare and producing the highest quality milk for cheesemaking.

Over the last few years, I’ve learned more and more about how this ancient profession has come under threat. Shepherds must compete with industrial farms that pump out cheaper milk not fit for an artisan cheesemaker. They are being squeezed out by development, which is taking over the grazing fields. Wolves are also a problem (really!) And young people just don’t find the profession enticing. One example of the effect of these challenges is in Catalonia, where “the sheep population nearly halved from 1982–2009” (Culture Magazine).

Our friend Michele Buster, founder of the acclaimed food importer Forever Cheese, recently updated us on her efforts to elevate and modernize the image of the shepherd in Spain and across the world. She invests her passionate energy into rallying governments, nonprofits, universities and customers to help save this crucial profession.

Here is an excerpt from an article in Culture magazine about her efforts:

What To Do About Spain’s Shepherding Crisis?

Susan Axelrod | January 13, 2023

Spain has a shepherd problem, and Michele Buster is on a mission to fix it. The co-founder of New York City-based importer Forever Cheese, Buster became aware of the seriousness of the issue due to a major Manchego shortage early last year. Because Manchego PDO can only be made in Castilla La Mancha from the milk of Manchega sheep, a decline in the number of the region’s farms and shepherds were contributing factors to the shortage. “But it’s not just about La Mancha, it’s every single region,” Buster says. With fewer young people willing to take on the hard work of animal husbandry, Spain’s centuries-old dairy farming and cheesemaking traditions have suffered.

… “It’s not just an old guy with a beret and a stick.” Many of the shepherds who produce the cheeses she imports belie that stereotype—they have interesting, full lives beyond the farm and field. For example, Père Pujol, who after an earlier career in education returned to his native Pyrenees, where he has been making artisanal cheeses with raw cow’s milk for 13 years. When he is not working, he likes to dine in fine restaurants. Others have followed a similar pattern; they are drawn to a lifestyle where they can live in harmony with nature, and feel that they are making a difference in the preservation of the environment and of rural traditions.

“The idea that I had was to get someone from as high up in the government as I could to actually do a PR campaign,” says Buster, who has already met with officials in Catalonia to make her pitch. “First, the public needs to be aware of the opportunities for both farming and agritourism—this is something that’s available to you, if you want to run your own business, if you like animals, if you like the land. Are there sacrifices? Yes.” Her plan also includes “opening up a link between the shepherd and the final product to build pride,” animal husbandry competitions, such as those held in the U.S. and the UK, and economic incentives to promote best practices in animal welfare. “I want to be able to do more because I know that what we do makes a difference in our producers’ lives.”

A note from Rayco Ramos Rodríguez, the shepherd featured in the photo above with one of his goats:

“I am the owner of Caprarius Dairy and I am a cheesemaker. We are on the island of Fuerteventura, located in the village of Pajara, in Mezque. I want to say that we make Majorero cheese with denomination of origin, and also that tending to animals isn’t a profession only for older people but also for young people like me—I am 30 years old. This requires sacrifice but at the same time it is very beautiful, for we are rewarded with these animals who love us so much.” - Rayco Ramos Rodríguez, Quesería Caprarius

Watch videos of Rayco and other shepherds: Save the Shepherds - Google Drive

Read more: What To Do About Spain's Shepherding Crisis? | culture: the word on cheese

At La Tienda, we think of ourselves as food pilgrims, traveling Spain to discover the amazing foodways of the many distinct regions of the country and bringing them home to share with you. Our house brand is named Peregrino, which is the Spanish word for “pilgrim.”

The inspiration for our house brand is the iconic Camino de Santiago pilgrimage routes that traverse Spanish villages and cities, mountains and plains, all winding their way to the magnificent city of Santiago de Compostela. Originating as a famed Catholic pilgrimage (at one point, if you walked to Santiago, all your sins were forgiven!), the Camino is now enjoyed by multitudes of hikers and cyclists as a journey of physical and spiritual renewal for those of many faiths or none.

Camino de Santiago Study Abroad Scholarship Endowment

In partnership with The College of William & Mary, we fund an annual scholarship for W&M students to participate in Camino de Santiago pilgrimages and other study abroad opportunities in Spain. Along with two anonymous donors, the endowment is a combined gift of $100,000.

The Camino de Santiago is particularly meaningful to us. Multiple members of our family have walked and studied on the Camino over the years, and it has deepened our love of Spain's history and culture. We are excited to support students as they discover this transformational path across Spain.

¡Hola! I'm Jonathan Harris, one of the owners of La Tienda. I love sharing insights about Spain's amazing food culture. Learn more >

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