SpainBy Candice Bell, Gemma

Hicks

Where is Spain

 Spain is located in the extreme southeast of Europe, along the Atlantic Ocean on the Iberian Peninsula (which it shares with Portugal). It is south of the Bay of Biscay and France, their common border including the country of Andorra in the Pyrenees. Spain is bounded on the south and southeast by the Mediterranean Sea (containing the Balearic Islands).

Spain also claims small locales in Northern Africa, and the Canary Islands off the west coast of Africa. On the Mediterranean coast of Spain is Gibraltar (a British territory).

Population Spain has a population of 45,989,016

How big is Spain• Size - Spain is the third-largest country

in Europe, with an area of 504,782 sq km (194,897 sq mi). Comparatively, the area occupied by Spain is slightly more than twice the size of the state of Oregon.

Traditional Spain Dishes

Present day traditional Spanish food is influenced by the Greek,

Roman, Phoenician and Moorish settlements in Spain's history. The Moors had a strong influence on Spain for many years and their type of food is still eaten today. Spanish cuisine comprises a small variety of dishes and is heavily influenced by seafood available from the waters around the country. Spain’s history with many cultural influences has led to an exclusive cuisine with thousands of recipes and delicious flavors.

Starters • Croquetas

• Spanish omelet

• Roasted red pepperand aubergine salad

• Gazapacho andaluz

• Tomato and basil salad

• Boguerones – Marinated anchovies

• Chickpea salad

• Marinated olives

• Salmon salad

Food in Spain

Foods grown in Spain - Avocadoes; cocoa beans for chocolate; berries, citrus, and small fruits [such as apples, lemons, oranges, peaches, strawberries], for sangria; garlic; grapes, especially for sherry and wine; olives, especially for oil; potatoes; red hot peppers, especially for grinding and drying into paprika; rice, especially for paella; saffron; and tomatoes, especially for gazpacho.

Food Triangle of Spain

Fruit and Veggies

The next block in the food pyramid contains vegetables and fresh fruits. These are known as the richest sources of both antioxidants and vitamins that maintain healthy skin and organ health.

Enrich your diet with colored vegetables like red cabbage, peppers, spinach and carrots. You should have fresh fruits like papaya, apples and oranges and use them to replace processed foods that give empty calories and no nutrition and are loaded with preservatives. A good balanced diet should include 2 to 4 servings of fresh fruits daily and 3 to 5 servings of vegetables.

Carbohydrates

This is the grain group which forms the base of the food pyramid in Spanish. It includes starch and carbohydrates like rice, bread, pasta and cereals along with grains. These are energy rich foods. The pyramid indicates that you should have 6 to 11 servings of this group every day. It's a good idea to choose whole grains because they have high amounts of vitamins, minerals and fiber.

Beans, Meat and Dairy

• This segment in the food pyramid includes proteins from vegetables like legumes, nuts, beans along with animal proteins like meat as well as eggs. You should have 2 to 3 servings of proteins every day along with 2 to 3 servings of dairy products which include low-fat cheese, yogurt and skim milk.

Fats and Sweets

Fat in the food pyramid includes fats and sweets which should be consumed in controlled portions because they are low in nutrients and dense in calories. These foods include items like ice cream, donuts, brownies, pizza and other such bakery products. Limit your intake of such products to a maximum of one serving per day a serving should be no more than two cookies per day.

What are cooking

• The food that we have chosen is obviously a Spanish recipe. We are cooking churros. A churro is Spain’s answer to the donut, a crunchy, deep-fried sweet snack that resembles the horns of the churro sheep. They are popular not only in Spain, where they are often served at breakfast, but also in Mexico, and several other Latin American countries. North Americans are not strangers to churros, which are often found in amusement parks and at county fairs. Churros are usually made of a batter which is piped into extremely hot oil. They are certainly not a low-fat snack because of the frying process. Once the churro is fried it is traditionally rolled in hot cinnamon sugar. The ideal churro has a distinct crunch when one bites into it, but the interior should have a slight softness at the centre. However we will not be doing like that.

Churros recipe

• Ingredients:

• 1 cup water

• 2 Tbs brown sugar

• 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1/3 cup butter

• 1 cup white flour

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/2 to 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, depending on taste

Method

Method 1.

• Preheat 1 1/2 to 2 inches of vegetable oil in a 10 to 12 inch frying pan to 375 degrees F. In a separate dish mix the 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon and set aside.

• In a 3 qt. sauce pan add the water, brown sugar, salt, and butter and heat to a good boil. Remove from the heat and add the flour. Stirring in the flour will take some muscle. Mix it in until well blended.

• In a separate bowl, mix the eggs and vanilla together and then add this mixture to the flour mixture. Stir until well blended and all the egg is completely mixed in.

• Fill your decorating tool with the churro recipe dough and attach the largest star tip you have.

methodMethod 2.

• Test your oil by placing a small amount of dough in it. The dough should bubble up right away or that means the oil is not hot enough and a soggy churro is on the way.

• Once the oil is hot enough, squeeze some dough (with decorator) into the oil about 4 inches long. I used my finger to release the dough from the decorator. Careful not to burn yourself.

• You should be able to cook 4 or 5 churros at a time. Cook them about 1 minute and turn them over with a slotted spoon. Cook an additional minute or two. You're looking for that nice golden brown color.

• Remove the churros with the slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel-covered plate to absorb excess grease.

• While still warm, roll each churro into the dish with the sugar and cinnamon until coated.

Thank you

By Candice Bell, Gemma Hicks