It would be a crime to visit Spain and never try any of the traditional foods, but Valencia especially plays a large role in the food of Spain and has many famous and original dishes that are must try's while in the city. For starters, Valencia is the birthplace of Spain's most iconic dish: paella.
Paella is a rice dish which contains various types of meats, seafood, or occasionally vegetables. Though it is possible to get paella in many different types and varieties, traditional Valencian paella, or paella valenciana, does not contain sea food. Instead, it contains chicken and rabbit. It's interesting to me that their traditional paella wouldn't include sea food since, thanks to the cities location right on the Mediterranean Sea, seafood is a large part of the diet here. However, since chicken and rabbit are what's traditional (and also because I don't like eating my shrimp with legs and eyes) that's what I tied when I had paella here. It was really good! Surprisingly, eating rabbit didn't bother me either. This wasn't the first time I've had paella, but it was one of my favorites. I really liked my Madre's paella in Salamanca, but I didn't like having to pick thought the clam shells and shrimp legs to eat what was essentially at that point just seasoned rice.
After paella, arguably the most famous food (or drink, rather) originating from Valencia is horchata. Horchata is a cold, white, milky drink made from ground tiger nuts. People often compare it to almond milk when trying to explain it to foreigners. Because it is a cold and refreshing drink, and because Valencia is so unbearably hot in the summer, horchata is a popular summer drink here. It is sold in restaurants, convenience stores, and little carts on the street. I tried horchata my second week in Valencia, and I wasn't a fan. It's very sweet, which I didn't like. That said, it was cold and refreshing, so I can definitely see why people like to drink it here. For me though, I'll stick to water and ice cream when I want to cool off.
Valencia is known for their oranges. They grow on trees all sound the city, and it isn't uncommon to see oranges just laying on the ground as common as a pinecone by a pine tree. For that reason, Valencian orange juice is very fresh and delicious. But it isn't the only drink they make here with their oranges. Agua de Valencia is an alcoholic drink originally from Valencia. It is made from orange juice, cava, vodka, and gin. From what I've seen, it seems to be drank in a manner similar to sangria in that people often order a glass, or pitcher if sharing, while sitting at a café, perhaps with tapas. I personally found the flavor to be too sweet and a little off putting. Still, as a drink unique to Valencia, it was a must try, if only just once.
My favorite Valencia food may not be the most famous, but it is definitely a prominent part of the city's street food. When visiting the beach in Valencia, take a stroll down the walkway along the beachfront restaurants hotels, and markets. While on that walk you'll notice that you pass not one, not two, probably not even three, but many street vendors set up with a table and a portable grill selling corn on the cob. The corn is grilled and served with salt and sometimes a little olive oil. Quick, easy, cheap, and delicious (not to mention probably a lot healthier than boardwalk fries), it is the perfect beachside snack. I don't think I've been to the Valencia beaches once without some corn to snack on when I got hungry! And since it is so simple to make, I may be trying my hand at this one when I get back to the States in just over a week.
So there you are. A quick overview of some of the best and most traditional foods in Valencia. If you ever visit, I would highly recommend trying all four!
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| A little cup of horchata (orxata in Catalan) on a hot day walking through Plaza Ayuntamiento |
Hasta Luego!
Aubrey
