Catalan cuisine: Difference between revisions

[[File:Localización de Cataluña.svg|thumb|Location of Catalonia in Spain]][[File:LocationCataloniaInEurope.png|thumb|Location of Catalonia in Spain and [[Europe]]. The majority of the Catalan territory is part of the [[Mediterranean Basin]], and its cuisine mainly belongs to the culinary tradition of this area.]]

'''Catalan cuisine''' is the cuisine from [[Catalonia]]. It may also refer to the shared cuisine of [[RoussillonNorthern Catalonia]] and [[Andorra]], the second of which has a similar cuisine to that of the neighbouring [[Alt Urgell]] and [[Cerdanya]] ''[[comarca|comarques]]'' and which is often referred to as "Catalan mountain cuisine".<ref>Sen, Miquel, et al, 2005, ''La Cuina comarca a comarca: Andorra-Cerdanya'', Ciro DL. Barcelona.</ref> It is considered a part of western [[Mediterranean cuisine]].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/13/magazine/food-spain-a-catalan-ole.html] [[The New York Times]], Spain: A Catalan Ole</ref>

There are several [[Catalan language]] cookbooks from the [[Middle Ages]] that are known to modern scholars. The ''{{Ill|[[Llibre dedel Coch|es}}]]'' (1520) was one of the most influential cookbooks of [[Spanish Renaissance|Renaissance Spain]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Scholliers |first=Peter |title=Writing Food History: A Global Perspective |date=2012 |isbn=9780857852175 |url=https://wwwbooks.google.com/books/edition/Writing_Food_History/7WUDAAAAQBAJ?hlid=PT477WUDAAAAQBAJ }}</ref> It includes several [[sauce]] recipes made with ingredients such as ginger, [[Mace (spice)|mace]] powder (''{{lang|ca|flor de macis}}''), cinnamon, [[saffron]], cloves (''{{lang|ca|clauells de girofle}}''), wine and honey.<ref>''Lybre de doctrina Pera ben Servir: de Tallar: y del Art de Coch''</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=Alimentació i societat a la Catalunya medieval |publisher=[[CSIC Press]] |date=1998 |isbn=9788400069209 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=34GZHYTGWkAC}}</ref> ''[[Salsa de pagó]]'' took its name from the [[peacock]] ({{lang-ca|el paó}}) that it was intended to be served with, but could accompany any type of poultry, and was part of the medieval [[Christmas_dinnerChristmas dinner#Spain|Christmas meal]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Pollastre o capó rostit amb salsa de pagó | url=http://www.cuinacatalana.eu/ca/pag/receptes-1714/?id=14 |website=Fundació Institut Català de la Cuina}}</ref> ''{{lang|ca|Salsa mirraust}}'' (or ''{{lang|it|mirausto alla catalana}}'' as it's called in the ''[[Cuoco Napoletano]]'') was half-roasted (''{{lang|ca|mi-raust}}'') poultry that was finished in a ''salsa'' thickened with egg yolks, toasted almonds and breadcrumbs. In the version of the recipe from the 14th-century ''{{ill|Llibre de Sent Soví|ast}}'', the sauce is thickened with mashed poultry liver instead of egg yolks.<ref>[https://online.ucpress.edu/gastronomica/issue/7/2 Two Ways of Looking at Maestro Martino] ''Gastronomica'' Spring 2007 Vol. 7 Issue 2</ref>

Catalan cuisine relies heavily on [[ingredient]]s popular along the [[Mediterranean]] coast, including fresh [[vegetable]]s (especially [[tomato]], [[garlic]], [[eggplant]] (aubergine), [[capsicum]], and [[artichoke]]), wheat products ([[bread]], [[pasta]]), [[Arbequina]] [[olive oil]]s, [[wine]]s, legumes ([[bean]]s, [[chickpea]]s), [[Edible mushroom|mushrooms]] (particularly wild mushrooms), nuts (pine nuts, hazelnuts and almonds), all sorts of [[pork]] preparations ([[sausage]] from [[Vic, Catalonia|Vic]], [[ham]]), sheep and goats' [[cheese]], [[poultry]], [[Lamb and mutton|lamb]], and many types of [[Fish as food|fish]] like [[Sardine (food)|sardine]], [[Anchovy (food)|anchovy]], [[Tuna as food|tuna]], and [[Cod (food)|cod]]. {{sfn|Pujol|2009}} and other seafood like [[Shrimp and prawn as food|prawns]], [[Squid as food|squid]], [[sea snail]]s and [[Sea urchin as food|sea urchins]].

Traditional Catalan cuisine is quite diverse, ranging from pork-intensive dishes cooked in the inland part of the region (Catalonia is one of the main [[intensive pig farming|producers of swine products]] in Spain) to fish-based recipes along the coast.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1 =Pujol|first1 =Anton|title= Cosmopolitan Taste|journal = Food, Culture & Society|volume =12|issue =4|pages =437–455|doi =10.2752/175174409X456737|year =2009|s2cid =153752556}}</ref> These meat and seafood elements are frequently fused together in the Catalan version of [[surf and turf]], known as ''mar i muntanya''. Examples include chicken with lobster (''pollastre amb llagosta''), chicken with crayfish (''pollastre amb escarmalans''), and rice with meat and seafood (''arròs mar i muntanya''). and cuttlefish with meatballs (''sipia amb mandonguilles'').

[[Image:Foto Llonganissa.JPG|thumb|''Cured sausage([[SausageLlonganissa]]) from Vic'']]

* ''[[Embutido|Embotits]]'', a generic name for different kinds of cured [[pork]] meat, including [[fuet]] (a characteristic type of dried sausage) and, [[Salami|''salchichón'' or ''llonganissa'']] (salami) and different kinds of cold cut [[botifarra]].

* ''Cargols[[Caragols a la llauna]]'' (cooked [[snailSnails as food|snails]]s)

* ''[[Sonsos]]'' ('''''Gymnammodytes cicerelus''''', also known as '''Mediterranean sand eel''', ''sonso''<ref>[http://www20.gencat.cat/portal/site/DAR/menuitem.7d5a409fbe273a69cc497c10d8c0e1a0/?vgnextoid=7b885eee8da34110VgnVCM1000000b0c1e0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=7b885eee8da34110VgnVCM1000000b0c1e0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=detall&contentid=5eeb43bad4be5110VgnVCM1000008d0c1e0aRCRD Sonso - Departament d'Agricultura, Alimentació i Acció Rural]</ref> in [[Catalan language|Catalan]], and ''barrinaire'' or ''enfú'' in [[Menorca]],<ref>Mas Ferrà, Xavier i Canyelles Ferrà, Xavier: ''Peixos de les Illes Balears''. Editorial Moll, [[Palma de Mallorca]], 2000. Manuals d'introducció a la naturalesa, 13. {{ISBN|84-273-6013-4}}. Planes 213-214.</ref> is a fish in the family [[Ammodytidae]]. It is the only species of this family in the [[Mediterranean Sea]].<ref name = FishBase>{{FishBase|Gymnammodytes|cicerelus|month=February|year=2018}}</ref>)

* ''[[Aioli|Allioli]]'', a thick sauce made of garlic and olive oil, used with grilled meats or vegetables, and some dishes. Allioli means garlic ({{lang|ca|all}}) and ({{lang|ca|i}}) oil ({{lang|ca|oli}}) in Catalan.

* ''[[Samfaina]]'', also called ''{{lang|ca|tomacat}}'' or ''{{lang|ca|pebrots amb tomàquet}}''. It is a variety of [[Occitania|Occitan]] [[ratatouille]] or [[Spain|Spanish]] [[Pistopisto]].

* ''[[Romesco]]'' or ''[[Romesco|Salvitxada]]'' (made from almonds, hazelnuts, garlic, bread, vinegar, tomatoes, olive oil and dried red peppers) from [[Valls]].

* ''[[Xató]]'', a variety of ''[[Romesco|Salvitxada]]'' without tomatoes.

* ''[[Mel i mató]]'', a dessert of ''[[mató]]'' cheese with [[honey]].

* A specific ''tortell'' is in fact a special ''[[coca (pastry)|coca]]'' that Catalans only eat on the Day of the Three Kings (6 January) which is called "''[[Tortell|tortell de reis]]"'' (or ''galeta de reis'' in Northern Catalonia) a typical ring-shaped pastry stuffed with [[marzipan]] or Catalan cream (''crema catalana'') and topped with glazed fruit and nuts.

* ''[[Turrón|Torró]]'', a Christmas sweet made with almonds with [[Protected designation of origin|DAO]] of [[Agramunt]] ([[Lleida]]).

* ''[[Neula|Neules]]'' are also eaten on Christmas in Catalonia. They are dipped in ''[[Catalan wine#Cava|cava]]'' (Catalan champagne). They have the same origin as [[waffle]]s and Belgian ''[[Belgian waffle|Goffres]]''.

{{mainMain|Catalan wine|Spanish wine regions}}

Some Catalan authors, such as [[Josep Pla]],<ref name=Pla>PLA, Josep, 1970, 'El Que hem menjat', Barcelona (Catalonia)) (this edition 1997 Premsa catalana); photographs by F. Català Roca were added for the edition of 1981 by Edicions Destino, Barcelona.</ref> [[Jaume Fàbrega]]<ref name=fabrega>[http://www.gastroteca.cat/ca/noticies/fitxa-entrevistes/jaume_fabrega:__la_cuina_catalana_es_la_mes_antiga_d_europa_/ Gastroteca.cat Interview with Jaume Fàbrega]</ref> or Eliana Thibaut i Comalada,<ref>THIBAUT I COMALADA, Eliana, 2001, 'La Cuina dels Països Catalans, reflex d'una societat', Editorial Pòrtic, S.A. {{ISBN|978-84-7306-716-4}}</ref> and others like [[Colman Andrews]],<ref name=andrews>[https://books.google.com/books?id=-K_ekX6BVXsC&dqq=Catalan+cuisine&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=EPOjf2C9gx&sig=tktfrnZVRAACTogCLql6BGroq1U&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=9&ct=result#PPA4,M1 ANDREWS, Colman, ''Catalan cuisine'' pp. 3-4: "It is, to put it another way, the cooking of the region of Catalonia in northeastern Spain - and, by extension, of the historically and linguistically related ''països catalans'' or Catalan lands.."]</ref> have suggested that, besides Catalonia proper, this cuisine takes in the Balearic and Valencian cuisines,<ref name=Fabrega>[http://www.llibreriaona.com/llibres/C/CUINA-DELS-PAISOS-CATALANS,-LA--REFLEX-D'UNA-SOCIETAT-,978-84-7306-716-4.htm gastronomy of the Catalan-speaking Countries: Jaume Fàbrega:"Belonging to the nation of Catalans Valencians and Balearics is not just a question of a common language: it is also a way of expressing that culture at table, of a culinary culture."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011210956/http://www.llibreriaona.com/llibres/C/CUINA-DELS-PAISOS-CATALANS%2C-LA--REFLEX-D%27UNA-SOCIETAT-%2C978-84-7306-716-4.htm |date=11 October 2008 }}</ref> but this opinion is challenged as politicised, and is not widespread, nor is it supported by either the [[Govern de les Illes Balears|Balearic]] or the [[Generalitat Valenciana|Valencian government]],<ref>[http://www.comunitatvalenciana.com/gastronomia/gastro1.htm gastronomy from the Valencian Community] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509174759/http://www.comunitatvalenciana.com/gastronomia/gastro1.htm |date=9 May 2008 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.comunitatvalenciana.com/descargas/gastronomia_in.pdf Gastronomy of the Valencian Community] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509161210/http://www.comunitatvalenciana.com/descargas/gastronomia_in.pdf |date=9 May 2008 }}</ref> while the Catalan government itself provides divergent points of view.<ref>[http://www.gencat.cat/catalunya/cat/coneixer-gastronomia.htm Generalitat de Catalunya] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514054637/http://www.gencat.cat/catalunya/cat/coneixer-gastronomia.htm |date=14 May 2013 }}</ref><ref>[http://www20.gencat.cat/portal/site/culturacatalana/menuitem.0b9b63f2f0392d88f94a9710b0c0e1a0/?vgnextoid=94b1ef2126896210VgnVCM1000000b0c1e0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=94b1ef2126896210VgnVCM1000000b0c1e0aRCRD Culturcat] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106172418/http://www20.gencat.cat/portal/site/culturacatalana/menuitem.0b9b63f2f0392d88f94a9710b0c0e1a0/?vgnextoid=94b1ef2126896210VgnVCM1000000b0c1e0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=94b1ef2126896210VgnVCM1000000b0c1e0aRCRD |date=6 January 2014 }}</ref> In any case, mutual ties do exist between Catalan gastronomy and other western Mediterranean gastronomies, such as [[Balearic cuisine]], [[Valencian cuisine]], [[French cuisine#Roussillon • Languedoc • Cévennes|Southern French cuisine]], [[Aragonese cuisine]] or Murcian cuisine.

Catalan cooks and [[chef]]s are widely renowned and critically acclaimed all over the world. Three of [[The World's 50 Best Restaurants]] are in Catalonia,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2009-04-21/news/27654601_1_chef-restaurant-magazine-signature-dishes |title=Spain's El Bulli named best restaurant in world |date=21 April 2009 |work=The Economic Times |location=India |access-date=30 April 2012}}</ref> and four restaurants have three [[Michelin Guide|Michelin]] stars. The Michelin Guide Spain and Portugal 2022 edition awarded 49 restaurants across Catalonia with a total of 64 Michelin stars.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Jordan|first=Guifré|title=Three Catalan restaurants maintain their three Michelin stars|url=http://www.catalannews.com/life-style/item/three-catalan-restaurants-maintain-their-three-michelin-stars,%20https://www.catalannews.com/life-style/item/three-catalan-restaurants-maintain-their-three-michelin-stars|access-date=2021-12-25|website=www.catalannews.com|language=en-gb}}</ref> Barcelona has nine28 Michelin stars across 18 restaurants<ref>{{citationCite neededweb|datelast=OctoberDoherty|first=Lorcan|title=Interactive 2012map: All Michelin-starred restaurants in Catalonia|url=http://www.catalannews.com/life-style/item/interactive-map-all-michelin-starred-restaurants-in-catalonia,%20https://www.catalannews.com/life-style/item/interactive-map-all-michelin-starred-restaurants-in-catalonia|access-date=2021-12-25|website=www.catalannews.com|language=en-gb}}</ref> including [[Cinc Sentits]]<ref name=viamichelinweb>{{cite web|title=ViaMichelin Barcelona Restaurants: online restaurant guide | url = http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/web/Restaurants/Restaurants-Barcelona-_-Barcelona-Spain?strLocid=31M3JyYjEwY05ERXVNemczT1RJPWNNaTR4TmprNU1nPT0=#description@poi=203796_41102|work=[[Michelin Guide]]|publisher=[[Michelin]]|access-date=12 February 2012}}</ref> and has been chosen as the best gastronomical city by the [[United States|American]] TV network [[MSNBC]] in 2009, topping the list of the ten best gastronomical cities in the world.

In [[Girona|Province of Girona]] are two of the best restaurants of the world, [[El Celler de Can Roca]], the best of the world in 2014 and 2015, and [[elBulli]], in [[Roses, Girona|Roses]], the best one in 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2nd in 2010, before its closure, in 2011.

* Andrews, Colman, ''Catalan Cuisine''. [[The Quarto Group|Harvard Common Press]], 2006 {{ISBN|1-55832-329-5}}

{{commonsCommons category|Cuisine of Catalonia}}

[[Category:AndorranCulture cultureof Andorra|cuisine]]