Paella

Paella is a rice dish brought to Spain by the Arabs. Traditionally, paellas were reserved for celebrations and were cooked outdoors over hot coals by men, and this tradition of men being responsible for the cooking of the paella still continues today. The ingredients, strictly adhered to in and around Valencia (where the definitive paella is made), include chicken, rabbit or pork, butterbeans, snails, tomatoes, paprika and saffron. Today, with seafood replacing most of the meat (except chicken), paella has become the emblematic dish of Spain.