Bellamente Bendecido: Typical Spanish Meals

Hola!

I'm finally home! Our trip to Andalucia was wonderful, but it feels great to be back. Segovia truly feels like home now, which makes me smile. Going into the semester, I hoped that Spain would one day become a second home, and I can now say that it has. When the bus rounded the corner last night and faced the beautifully lit aqueduct, all I could think was "Ah, home at last." With this, I decided to forgo a long post about Andalucia (don't worry - it will come later this week) and write about something more routine: food.

What do typical meals look like you may ask? Well, let me show you.

El Desayuno:

I eat "el desayuno" before I go to school in the morning, normally around 8:45 AM. Typically, it consists of café con leche, Fitness cereal and an apple. ¡Delicioso!

Fitness is a tastier version of Special K

La Comida:
La comida is the biggest meal of the day, and I eat it with my family around 2:00 PM. Unfortunately, I have not been able to take any pictures of my meals. Don't let that fool you into thinking that they're not delicious, though (I just feel awkward taking the pictures when the table is packed). Dani, a woman who works at our house, makes la comida every afternoon and she is a great chef!

This meal consists of freshly squeezed orange juice, two plates, and un postre (dessert). We start with either soup or a pasta dish. Next, we have fish or meat with vegetables. To end, we have un postre, which is yogurt or fruit.

Needless to say, this is my favorite meal of the day.

La Cena:
When I get home at night, I have la cena with Marta. The boys normally eat this meal around 9:00 PM, whereas Marta and I eat at 9:30 PM*. I enjoy this part of my day for many reasons. To start, the food is always fresh and healthy. More importantly, though, is that I get quality time to chat alone with Marta. Sometimes, we sit and chat for an hour during la cena.

*9:30 PM is early to have la cena. Many of my friends eat this meal around 10:30 PM.

Marta's typical salad: mixed greens, pimientos, tuna, crab,
corn, cucumbers, and dressing of olive and vinegar.

Miscellaneous Notes:
One thing I love about the food in Spain is that it is all fresh. Being close to the ocean, we eat fish that was caught the day before. Similarly, the fruit and vegetables are all grown in local gardens. Trust me, you can taste the freshness!

Secondly, Spaniards follow the Mediterranean diet. That is, they consume large quantities of fish, vegetables, and olive oil. Having studied this diet last semester, I am aware of its proven health benefits and for that I am glad to live in a family that follows it!