Spain

When you think European 'cuisine', you don't immediately think Spain. But, actually, Spain has some of the most delicious food in the continent. It has a strong mediterranean influence, with lots of olive oil and garlic, but there is a distinct mix of ingedients such as sweet peppers and sea ripened grapes that give Spanish food it's uniquely distinct flavor.

The history of Spanish cuisine began with Phoenician, Greek, and Carthaginian coastal settlements. Later, the Romans, and more importantly the Muslims, brought with them elements of their own cooking (such as honey and cumin), which lingered and blended with Spain's culinary heritage. Seafood has always been a major component of the Spanish diet, as one may guess... but a more recent staple is present in almost every Spanish dish because of a long standing hatred dating back to the 6th century.

Much of the Iberian Peninsula was dominated by Moors (another word for Muslims) following their invasion of the peninsula in 711. As in most cases, this was not a welcome invasion, and some nasty history went on for the next few centuries, including the Spanish Inquisition. In 1492, Columbus was off to spice up the Spanish kitchen, and the Muslims were finally expelled... I'm sure that the Spanish had no idea just how influiencial one year could be on a country's culinary ambitions.

The present role of the olive in Spain only began after the Muslims had been expelled, dispersed or converted, and the great expansion of the olive industry in the seventeenth century was uninhibited by confessional hatred. Many traditional dishes still use no olive oil. The classic cocidos and fabadas (slow-cooked pot-dishes of chick-peas and beans) are bound together with silky pork fat instead. One of Spain's main delicacies is, jamon serrano, which means "mountain" ham because it is frequently made in mountain regions where cold winters and hot summers contribute to the curing process. Chorizo, a spicy sausage is a Spanish creation that has become internationally popular, and Salchichon is a hard sausage similar to salami, lightly garlicky and studded with peppercorns. Salchicha is fresh pork sausage links; all this deliciousness for such a diabolical reason.

The crafty Spaniards were aware that one of the Five Pillars of Islam is that a devout Muslim is unable to consume pork. It is strictly against the Muslim faith, and one of the basic tennants of the religion. After the expulsion, it became standard practice to put some pork product in any dish in an attempt to keep the Muslims out of the country forever... they decided to keep the honey and cumin though!

Thus proving, NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition!! And there are no Spanish restaurants in the Middle East.