Okay, so I’ve always been a foodie, and Spanish food? Forget about it. Love it. So I set myself this crazy goal: cook 100 different Spanish dishes. No idea if I could actually do it, but I was gonna try!
First thing I did was hit up the internet, of course. I just started Googling like crazy. “Spanish recipes,” “traditional Spanish food,” “easy Spanish dishes”… you name it, I searched it. I must have spent hours just scrolling through websites and food blogs. I felt completely in over my head at first, There was so much out there!
I decided I needed a system, so I started a massive spreadsheet. Yep, a spreadsheet. Each dish got its own row, and I added columns for things like the main ingredients, the region of Spain it came from (if I could find it), and whether it was an appetizer, main course, or dessert. It looked pretty chaotic, to be honest.
Then came the actual cooking. Oh boy. I started with some of the simpler things, like Pan con Tomate (bread with tomato). Sounded easy enough, right? Except I totally burned the bread the first time. Lesson learned: pay attention! I also tried some Gazpacho, which was pretty refreshing, and a basic Tortilla Española (Spanish omelet). The tortilla took a few tries to get right, flipping that thing is a skill in itself!
- Early Victories:
- Pan con Tomate (after the burnt bread incident)
- Gazpacho
- Tortilla Española (eventually!)
- Gambas al Ajillo (garlic shrimp…so good!)
I quickly realized that finding some of the ingredients was going to be a challenge. I live in a pretty average town, not exactly a Spanish food mecca. I had to go to several different grocery stores, and even then, I couldn’t always find what I needed. There were a few substitutions along the way, let me tell you. Like, I’m pretty sure I used regular paprika instead of smoked paprika more than once. Don’t tell the Spanish food police!
As I went on, I started tackling some of the more complex dishes. Paella, of course, was a big one. I watched a bunch of videos online and read a few different recipes. My first attempt was…okay. It wasn’t a disaster, but it definitely wasn’t restaurant quality. The rice was a little mushy. But hey, I learned a lot!
The Home Stretch (And Still Cooking!)
I’m not at 100 dishes yet, not by a long shot. But I’ve made a serious dent in my list! I’ve learned so much, and not just about Spanish cooking, but about being patient with myself, experimenting in the kitchen, and not being afraid to make mistakes. It is not easy. Burnt food, mushy rice, dishes that just didn’t taste quite right… it’s all part of the process. It’s been a fun, delicious, and sometimes frustrating journey. I recommend that all food lovers must do something like this, so fun!
