Vegetarian in Spain?

How many times and ways have we tried to explain - Somos Vegetariano. Being veggie in such a meat-loving country certainly isn´t simple. Most people´s concept is that you just don´t eat red meat, but that seafood + chicken are acceptable. Well, I´m here to say you can do it! A vegan would starve here without a doubt, but as long as you´re open to asking for what you want and supplement it with visits to the mercados you can fill your belly with a number of tasty foods unique to Spain and varieties unique to each region or even city. Two of the biggest surprises that never failed to delight us are the green olives and salted almonds. They are unlike anything we´ve ever tasted before and perfect to accompany a beer or wine when you´re feeling a little fatigued from walking. Mandarinas have been another as they´re in season now - A perfect combination of tart + sweet and deliciously juicy. Then there are the cheeses - I´ve really fallen for the sheep´s milk varieties and one that we bought in Capileira that was crusted in rosemary was fantastic!

The next big category of food is Tapas or Pinchtos which are small plates or open face sandwiches served at a bar. The most popular by far here seems to be the jamon/ham, which the Spaniards are famous for. Most bars and cafes have scores of ham legs dangling from the ceiling above your head, and although the smell isn´t altogether pleasant it gives a nice, rustic ambiance. Here we usually end up with Tortilla Espanola which is a sort of egg fritata with potatoes. We've had them of varying qualities, but even the best could use some seasoning or hot sauce. In the town of Logrono in the Rioja wine region we lucked upon a place that ONLY made Garlic Mushrooms (Where in the states would you find a cafe that only had ONE dish?!), but they were packed none-the-less and we chowed down a few too. Besides jamon, the single next most popular food item would have to be the potato. Besides in tortillas, we enjoyed them as Patatas Bravas (with spicey tomato sauce) and Patatas Aioli (with garlic mayonaise).

Finally, there's an Andalucian/Cordoban specialty - Salmorejo. A soup I was familiar with and can't BELIEVE I rarely make at home. It's cold, fresh and decadent, consisting of a puree of tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, vinager, olive oil, garlic and bread crumbs.

Buen Provecho! Here's a "link" to more photos