Delicioso: A History of Food in Spain

Foods and Nations

by Maria Jose Sevilla

Spanish cuisine is a melting-pot of cultures, flavors, and Greek and Roman; Jewish, Moorish, and Middle Eastern. It has been enriched by Spanish climate, geology, and spectacular topography, which have encouraged a variety of regional food traditions and “Cocinas,” such as Basque, Galician, Castilian, Andalusian, and Catalan. It has been shaped by the country’s complex history, as foreign occupations brought religious and cultural influences that determined what people ate and still eat. And it has continually evolved with the arrival of new ideas and foodstuffs from Italy, France, and the Americas, including cocoa, potatoes, tomatoes, beans, and chili peppers. Having become a powerhouse of creativity and innovation in recent decades, Spanish cuisine has placed itself among the best in the world.

This is the first book in English to trace the history of the food of Spain from antiquity to the present day. From the use of pork fat and olive oil to the Spanish passion for eggplants and pomegranates, María José Sevilla skillfully weaves together the history of Spanish cuisine, the circumstances affecting its development and characteristics, and the country’s changing relationship to food and cookery.

Genres: Food, History, Food History, Cooking, Nonfiction

344 pages, Hardcover

Published December 15, 2019

Reviews

[Annabelle Li]

Very informative and interesting book about Spanish food history. Some people might find some places to be very tedious and unnecessary, but I do appreciate the author taking the time to articulate the details of everything, like how food are grown, how regional culture and history influence the different styles of cocinas.

I do feel like the author could be more clear on the history part. I sometimes found myself lost in between words when the author assumes the readers to be familiar with Spanish history. Maybe this is understandable because this is not a Spanish history book after all! Anyways, I enjoyed this book.

[Reading]

Well worth the time
I'm looking forward to others in this series