Meat

Spain is Europe’s most macho country: Where else would you see old blue-haired señoras nibbling on ham canapés while gleefully watching a torero being bested by a bull? And eating meat—prodigious amounts of it—has always been seen as an expression of the culture’s vigor. Madrileños make weekend excursions to old Castilian towns like Segovia and Sepúlveda to savor stupendous roast suckling lamb and pig. Andalusian bullfighting aficionados indulge in rich, long-braised oxtail stews at old taurino taverns during bullfighting season. Basque and Galician grill houses ply beef lovers with two-pound rare rib steaks, while many restaurants in La Rioja serve little more than sublime baby lamb chops grilled over vine cuttings. And the entire country is mad for cocido, a delicious orgy of boiled meats, sausages, and tender chickpeas preceded by a strong, clear broth.