As Spain's most southerly region, Andalusia is known for its warm climate, long coastline – boasting some of the most popular beaches in Europe – and Moorish architecture. It is home to cities including Seville, Cordoba, Málaga and Granada, and is the birthplace of flamenco music and dance.
The size of the region means its variety when it comes to food and drink is not a surprise, with fantastic seafood and excellent produce. Many of its dishes use some of the best olive oil in the world, with Andalusia home to thirteen different protected geographical areas producing extra virgin olive oil. Olive varieties including Picual, Hojiblanca and Gordal are grown there, but the region can also lay claim to being the vegetable garden of Europe. Its rich bounty includes strawberries, tomatoes and avocados, which are joining olives as hugely important industries for the region. Andalusia is also one of the homes of the black Iberian breed of pigs, which are fed on acorns and cured and aged from eighteen to thirty months to create the prized Iberico acorn-fed ham. Its long coastline also makes its seafood a point of pride, with sardines, red prawns and tuna among its most beloved catches.
And when it comes to drink there is also plenty to celebrate – D.O. sherry is the most famous wine in Andalusia, but other fortified wines such as D.O. Málaga and D.O. Montilla-Moriles are returning to their former glory, with winemakers reviving lost traditions. Read on to learn more about the produce, wine and restaurants of the area, or try one of chef Dani Carnero's recipes at home.
