The Levante

‘The land where the east wind blows’: this is Spain’s Levante and the phrase carries a revealing echo of the region’s gastronomic influences from the Middle East. Between the beaches and the herb-studded sierra, this Mediterranean coastal region produces an astonishingly abundant and diverse range of food.

Not quite milk and honey - more rice and oranges - the Levante’s produce encompasses glistening fish, almonds, cherries, grapes, grapefruits, lemons, loguats, artichokes, black truffles, dates and, yes, honey. Rich soil, a temperate climate and a history of multifarious agricultural influences give the region the reputation of being the most fertile in the whole of Europe. This, along with the Levante’s ability to attract a rather cosmopolitan population, is the key influence behind the area’s ‘new’ tapas.