Food and Drink in Murcia - The Discerning Diner's Paradise Articles | Cooking

By: Laura Cheshire

Think of the world’s famous cuisines and you probably don’t think of Murcia, Spain. But, with its rich fertile plains, well-irrigated arable land, wine-growing regions, paddy fields and Mediterranean bounty, Murcia’s food larder offers some of the best eating and drinking in Spain.

The area of Calasparra, set in the mountains of northwest Murcia and crossed by four rivers, is known for its delicately-flavoured rice. Typical rice dishes include arroz en caldero a la Murciana (rice with seafood and dried red peppers), paella huertana de Murcia (vegetable paella) and arroz con conejo y caracoles (rice with rabbit and snails).

Aside from rice, Murcia’s rich and balanced Mediterranean diet combines stews (such as sopa de garbananzos y chorizo – chickpeas and sausages), soups (including cebollada con almendras – onion and almond soup – and gazpacho), salads, baked meat and seafood delicacies in an array of excellent traditional dishes. Vegetarians can find some parts of Spain a challenge, but Murcia has a rich abundance of fruits, salads and vegetables and there is usually something to suit everyone’s tastes.

As you would expect, fish is popular, particularly in the form of sopa de pescado (fish soup), or fish cooked in escabeche (oil and vinegar), as well as a wide range array of other locally-caught fish dishes.

The Murcia region is also widely regarded as home to the best tapas in Spain. In Murcia (City) you’ll find all-day tapas in the bars and cafés. Tapas are small portions of fish, meat or vegetables served as an appetiser. You simply choose the ones you’d like to try. The assortment is rich and varied – from seafood (including mussels, clams, octopus, tuna, snails, squid and eels) to vegetables (especially peppers and tomatoes), ensaladillas (salads), meats, aceitunas (olives) and eggs. Almendras fritas (fried salted almonds) are also popular, as are buñuelos de bacalao (cod puffs). And garlic is an essential ingredient for most things!

Traditional potato and egg tortillas (omelettes) are filled with vegetables, meats or fish. Meats in Murcian gastronomy include chorizo (a kind of spicy sausage), jamón (salt-cured ham), cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig) and veal is also still a favourite dish, alongside poultry and game.

You can snack yourself to oblivion in Murcia with an outstanding range of pastries, flans, cheeses and deserts, such as borrachuellos (fried pastries with aniseed and sesame seeds), brevas de soria (small custard-filled doughnuts), churros (long pieces of fried dough often dunked into ultra-thick hot chocolate), empanadas (folded savoury pastries), fried Largueta almonds, ensaimadas (snail-shaped rolls with a sweet filling), and the caramel-laden and cholesterol-defying tocino del cielo, made purely from egg yolks, sugar and water!

Aside from food, wines from Murcia are also growing in popularity and are becoming increasingly recognised for their quality, the weather in Murcia being ideal for vineyards. The region has three denominaciones de origen: Bullas, Jumilla, and Yecla.

To sample a Spanish gastronomic feast that blends traditional with modern styles of cuisine, Murcia is well worth a visit. Just make sure you’re prepared to start your diet when you get home…!