It's the big one!

By appetite, on July 11th, 2010

Viva Espana! They are still dancing on the streets in Madrid, celebrating the nation’s first ever World Cup victory. Can they make it a double and win here too? That is up to you.

The Culinary World Cup of Food Final will be contested between Spain and Japan!

To help you decide I have ditched the beers and gone instead with the more obvious drinking matches: if you choose Spain you will now be voting for Paella and Sangria and for Japan it is Sushi and Sake. Before we get to the voting, I thought we should learn a little bit more about these famous dishes.

Paella and Sangria

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The original paella was considered a poor man’s fare, and was usually made with a little bit of whatever was on hand. Today, it has become one of Spain’s most popular and best-loved dishes. Paella takes its name from “paella” – the Valencian word for pan, and the meal takes its name from the dish in which it is cooked. “La Paella” is a circular and shallow pan with two round handles and a flat base traditionally made of iron.

During the centuries following the introduction of rice to Spain by the Moors, the peasants of Valencia would use the paella pan to cook rice with readily available ingredients from the countryside: tomatoes, onions and snails. On special occasions the dish may include rabbit or duck, and the more well off Valencians might add chicken. Little by little this “Valencian rice” became more widely known. By the end of the nineteenth century “paella valenciana” had established itself and was well known throughout Spain. Seafood was not originally used in paella dishes, as it was difficult to get hold of in the fields of Valencia, and snails were the cheapest meat option available at the time. It was not until other regions began to add their own twists to the dish that fish, seafood and pork were added.

Paella is really a Sunday dish eaten when the whole family is together. It is best cooked outside over an open wood fire and traditionally made by men. Often cooked in large quantities, paella still tastes as good the day after cooking, and can be enjoyed cold on picnics or heated up when required. The cooking of the perfect paella can be quite a laborious task, and all Spanish households have an expert on the art of paella making, although opinions on the best ingredients to use often differ from region to region. As a result cooking paella is quite a personal task and there are no hard and fast rules where ingredients are concerned. The basic way to cook paella is to stirf fry the meat (if using) then the vegetables in olive oil. Then add water, bring to the boil, and leave for half an hour or so. After checking the flavour and seasoning if needed, the rice is added. Calasparra (real paella) rice is never stir-fried in oil, as pilaf or risotto. Once the rice is nearly done, the paella is removed from the heat and left to absorb the remaining water. Traditional paella has a crispy, caramelized, toasted bottom (called socarrat in Valencian) that is considered a delicacy. To achieve a socarrat, you only need to turn up the heat to high and listen to the bottom of the rice toast. Once the aroma of toasted rice comes from the pan, the heat is removed once again. The paella is ready to be served after having cooled for several minutes. For a seafood paella, the fish needs to be cooked for a much shorter time than the meat, as it is easy to overcook white fish and squid.

There are several different varieties of paella available. Most in addition to the main meat or fish ingredients add peppers, tomatoes, onions and green beans.

Paella Valenciana is the original paella made with chicken, pork and/or rabbit.
Paella Marisco is made with prawns, mussels, squid and often white fish.
Paella Mixta is made with fish and meat.
Paella Vegetal or Vegetariana is the most recently introduced version of this famous dish, and made only with vegetables.
Paella Negra is an interesting version, and contains seafood cooked in squid ink, which turns the rice black.
Paella Fideus is made with fine pasta instead of rice.

The perfect accompaniment for paella is a jug of cool, fruity sangria. The real origins of this drink seem to be unknown, but it is undoubtedly one of Andalucia´s most popular refreshments – particularly in the summer months. Every restaurant has its own sangria recipe, but the drink typically includes red wine, brandy and fruit, with plenty of ice in the jug – although this is open to experimentation and personal taste always comes into it. Fruit juice or casera is often added to dilute the mix, and liqueurs such as 43 or cointreau also complement this popular drink. A white wine version is also popular and known as sangria blanco, and a sparkling version can be made with cava.

Sushi and Sake

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The basic concept of fish preparation in Japan is suggested by a proverb that essentially says: It is felt that the taste and texture of fish is best appreciated when it is very fresh and eaten raw. If the fish is a little less than fresh then its best taste will be produced by sprinkling it with salt and grilling it. Finally, if the fish is not fresh, then it is better boiled with seasonings, such as soy sauce or soybean paste (miso).

Sushi originated in the 7th century as a means of preserving fish by fermenting it in boiled rice. Fish that are salted and placed in rice are preserved by lactic acid fermentation, which prevents proliferation of the bacteria that bring about putrefaction. A souring of flavor occurs during the process, and the fish is eaten only after the sticky decomposed rice has been cleaned off. This older type of sushi is still produced in the areas surrounding Lake Biwa in western Japan, and similar types are also known in Korea, southwestern China, and Southeast Asia.

A unique fifteenth-century development shortened the fermentation period of sushi to one or two weeks and made both the fish and the rice edible. As a result, sushi became a popular snack food, combining fish with the traditional staple food, rice. Sushi without fermentaion appeared during the Edo period (1600-1867), and sushi was finally united with sashimi at the end of the eighteenth century, when the hand-rolled type, nigiri-sushi, was devised. Various styles of hand-rolled sushi were developed, such as norimaki, in which vinegar-flavored rice and seasoned boiled vegetables are rolled in paper-thin layers. The establishment of sushi restaurants that offered seasonings and different toppings according to the taste of the guest changed the dish from its original character as a preserved food to the somewhat strange dichotomy of being both a fast food and a culinary art form. The Itamae-San (expert sushi chef) has also seen change as demand for his/her craft has grown. Years ago, one could not practice this art form without a minimum of 10 years of training and proven skill. Now, due to the growing need, restaurants will hire Sushi chefs with just a few years of learning experience. But Sushi is about culinary expertise and an Itamae-San continually strives to master his/her skill while performing for the delight of the patron and serving an array of bright colors, mouthwatering tastes and tingling sensations.

In Japanese, the word sake can mean any alcoholic beverage. But in English, people generally use it to mean a specific type of rice alcohol, also known as Nihonshu. I will stick with calling it sake. It is a special sort of drink that is neither wine nor beer and also not really a spirit. In ancient Japan sake was used as a sacred alcohol at religious ceremonies by select nobles. Later consumption spread to the general public and was consumed at special Shinto occasions such as new year, weddings, festivals and funerals. Today sake is enjoyed by anyone and can be served warm, room temperature or chilled. Sake is usually drunk from small cups called choko and poured into the choko from ceramic flasks called tokkuri. Toji is the job title of the sake brewer. It is a highly respected job in Japanese society with toji being regarded a little like musicians or painters. The title of toji was historically passed on from father to son; today new toji are either veteran brewery workers or are trained at universities. There are two basic types of sake: futsu-shu “ordinary sake” which is the equivalent of table wine and tokutei meisho-shu “special designation sake” premium sakes distinguished by the degree to which the rice is polished and the added percentage of brewer’s alcohol or the absence of such additives.

Time now to vote! Thanks to all who have followed my little competition, it’s been a bit of fun.