From the first day I arrived in Spain, specifically Toledo because that was the first Spanish city I was in, it became very apparent to me that food played a large part in the lives of Spaniards.  From the various bars and restaurants around Toledo to the lengthy and extravagant meals that Spaniards have in their homes, food is clearly a big part of Spain's culture.  Here's a photo of Enebro, a fun bar in Toledo that was very close to La Fundación José Ortega y Gasset.

         One particular dish that is an everyday tradition to every Spaniard is the Spanish tapa.  Tapas are essentially Spain's version of France's hors d'oeuvres.  As with hors d'oeuvres, tapas are usually small in size but definitely not in variety.  One of my favorite tapas in Toledo was called Patatas Bravas.  This tasty tapa consisted of diced and seasoned fried potatoes served with a mild tomato sauce.  Although I loved this tapa and had it quite often, I never got around to taking a photo.  However, here is an example I found online.

       Throughout all of Spain, every time time you go to a bar that designates itself as a tapa bar, with one drink order you would also receive a free tapa.  Pretty awesome deal, right?  Here are examples of another favorite tapa along with a very typical Spanish drink called Sangria.  Sangria, a mix of ice, red wine, a Spanish lemon soda, and tropical fruit slices, is both a perfect treat for the hot Spanish summers as well as a fun night out.

            In addition to Spanish tapas, La Tortilla Española, or the Spanish Tortilla and Paella are both very typical Spanish dishes.  Different from the Mexican flour or corn tortilla, Spain's version was made with potatoes, egg, salt and onions.  In actuality, it's a lot like the American omelet.
           In terms of Spain's Paella, which is a large rice dish that has its origins in Valencia, a city on Spain's east coast, can include anything from a variety of different colored rice, vegetables, seafood, or chicken.  Although I ate both La Tortilla Española and Paella very frequently during my time abroad, I never ended up taking any photos of them.  However, here are some examples I found online.

         Lastly, Spain is also the home of some deliciously sweet treats.  Spain's Churros, essentially an elongated Spanish version of American doughnuts, are often eaten with a very thick cup of hot chocolate.  It's common to see Spaniards eating Churros for breakfast or for a snack during the late afternoon.  Like with La Tortilla Española and Paella, although I did eat a lot of Churros with hot chocolate while I was in Spain, I never ended up taking a photo.  However, here's an example I found online.

            Well that's all for now, I hope you enjoyed my third post!  My next post will again show more of Toledo with a special focus on it's religion and Holy Week celebrations.

The following are the links where I found the photos of Patatas Bravas, La Tortilla Española, Paella, and the Churros with hot chocolate.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/16/Patatas_bravas_madrid.jpg
http://0.tqn.com/d/spanishfood/1/0/c/7/-/-/tortilla-whole450x379.jpg
http://www.wikinoticia.com/images/saborgourmet.com/www.malaga-si.es.blog.wp-content.uploads.2009.05.paella.jpg
http://allisonshiman11.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/churros.jpg