Spanish cuisine is a melting-pot of cultures, flavours and ingredients: Greek and Roman, Jewish, Moorish and Middle Eastern. It has been enriched by its climate, geology and spectacular topography, which have encouraged a variety of regional food traditions and 'Cocinas', such as Basque, Galician, Castilian, Andalusian and Catalan. It has been shaped by the country's complex history, as foreign occupations brought religious and cultural influences that determined what people ate and still eat. It has continually evolved with the arrival of new ideas and foodstuffs from Italy, France and the Americas, including cocoa, potatoes, tomatoes, beans, and chilli peppers.
This is the first book in English to trace the history of the food of Spain from antiquity to the present day. From the use of pork fat and olive oil to the Spanish passion for aubergines and pomegranates, Mara Jose Sevilla skilfully weaves together the history of Spanish cuisine, the circumstances affecting its development and characteristics, and the country's changing relationship to food and cookery.
'Take a deep dive into Spanish cuisine from prehistory to Ferran Adri...[this] illustrated book is a dense, scholarly survey.'
Florence Fabricant, New York Times
'Like other works of art, dishes document culture. Mara Jose Sevilla shows us that the best way to enjoy Spanish history is by eating Spanish food, and that the best way to enjoy the food is by reading her account of the history. Buen provecho!'
Felipe Fernndez-Armesto, author of Food: A History
By:
María José Sevilla
Imprint: Reaktion Books
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 156mm,
Spine: 28mm
ISBN: 9781836390817
ISBN 10: 1836390815
Series: Foods and Nations
Pages: 344
Publication Date: 01 October 2025
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Introduction one A Land at the Edge of the Unknown two Moors, Jews and Christians three Life in the Castle four A Golden Age five Madrid, Versailles, Naples and, Best of All, Chocolate six Politics at the Table seven Hunger, Hope and Success eight The Cocinas of Spain References Select Bibliography Acknowledgements Photo Acknowledgements Index
Mara Jose Sevilla's previous books include Life and Food in the Basque Country (1989), Spain on a Plate (1992) and Mediterranean Flavours (1995). She lives in London, uk, and the Sierra de Aracena in Andalusia, Spain.
Reviews for Delicioso: A History of Food in Spain
‘Take a deep dive Into Spanish cuisine from prehistory to Ferran Adrià . . . [this] illustrated book is a dense, scholarly survey that starts with prehistory some 80,000 years ago.’ - Florence Fabricant, The New York Times ‘Sevilla’s history of Spain and surrounding islands through edibles incorporates cooking into an exacting cultural overview . . . A prize for the culinary section of public, high school, or college libraries. Highly recommended.’ - Choice ‘review of the week’ ‘Like other works of art, dishes document culture. María José Sevilla shows us that the best way to enjoy Spanish history is by eating Spanish food, and that the best way to enjoy the food is by reading her account of the history. ¡Buen provecho!’ - Felipe Fernández-Armesto, author of Food: A History ‘An epic and very readable history of Spanish food culture from Palaeolithic times to the present day. Very interesting.’ - Dr Lara Anderson, Convenor of Spanish and Latin American Studies, University of Melbourne
