The Spanish cuisine is incredibly divergent. Living in Spain, you may have visited a lot of restaurants, open the menu and find food you haven’t eaten yet. As a food critic, Anna Ziuzina has had the habit of eating something new during her travels.

Here are some of the weirdest Spanish food she had tried and loved:

Squids and squid ink shaded pasta

The pasta tinted with squid ink may look peculiar with its dark color, but it has a very understated salty taste which compliments the dish. Calamari is fairly cheap and it is widely popular in Spain. You can do a lot with a squid. You can fry it, grill it or throw it in a paella. It is fairly delicious. But take note not to overcook it as it will make the squid hard to eat.

Octopus

The region of Galicia is famous in Spain for its octopus. Pulpo a la gallega is a signature dish found in the region which is made of octopus, boiled potatoes and finished with a sprinkle of paprika. This is an incredibly delicious seafood dish to try.

Goose Barnacles

The first reaction you will probably have after seeing this is, “are this monster claws”? These tiny crustaceans are very expensive Spanish delicacies. They are expensive because it is very difficult and hazardous to collect them. They are attached to hard surfaces like rocks along spiky coastlines where the waves are dangerous. The people risk their lives trying to get them. In able to eat them, you must take off the outer covering where the claw is attached. You can then bite off the tender meat inside and throw away the claw. The goose barnacles have a very rich taste of the ocean.

Baby eels

The eels are actually almost 2 years old when sold at markets but referred to as “babies” due to their small sizes. Baby eels are similar to the size of a spaghetti noodle and are now are due to overfishing. The eels are fried in olive oil and mixed with red pepper to make a delicious dish.

Pig ears

The Spanish don not throw away any part of the pig. Spaniards show their resourcefulness by using pig ears as dishes. In Madrid, local restaurants chop pig ears then grill them to perfection. They are served with spicy sauces and best accompanied by beer.

Callos

This is one of Spain’s signature dishes. They are a delicious meal often served during winter. Callos are usually made up of perfectly cooked cow tripe, peas, chorizo and blood sausage. This may sound scary but once you try, you won’t have any regrets.

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We all know that one of the best cuisines served in the world comes originates from Spain. Mountains run through Spain, acting as barriers for communication and it makes transportation hard during the old times. This is the reason why food differs from region to region.

Here are more amazing facts about the food in Spain:

• In bars in Spain, they usually serve small amounts of food called “una tapa” to accompany drinks. The word “una tapa” means “a lid”.  The tradition comes from the stories of workers that go to taverns after working hard the whole day. Their wine glasses or pints of beer are covered with slices of bread to keep the flies and insects away. Thus, making it “a lid”. The custom changed slightly, a slice of ham or other types of food became replacements for the bread. Today, “una tapa” is now a food served in a small plate beside the drink. It is no longer used as a lid for the glass.
• “El churro” is a traditional Spanish food. It is a long and thin doughnut eaten during breakfast or as a snack. It is commonly accompanied with a cup of hot chocolate. The churros are then dipped into the hot chocolate before it is consumed. The churros belong to a type of Spanish food known as frutas de sarten or “fruits of the frying pan”.
• Spain contributes to 44% of the world’s olive oil. They are the top marketers of olive oil. This is more than twice of what Italy produces and four times larger than the Greek’s production.
• The Spanish people claim to have invented the “fried fish". Great Britain had transport links to Cadiz in the late 18th Century. It is believed that the British imported the idea of fish and chips from their connections in Cadiz.
• The original paella was not made of seafood but is made of either rabbits, chicken or pork. 
• The world-renowned wine “Sherry” came from a city called Jerez in Andalucia. “Sherry” came from the word “Shariz”, the Persian name of the city before it became Jerez. In Spanish, “Sherry” is simply called “vino de Jerez” or “Jerez wine”.
• La torta de aceite is a thin and crispy pastry made from sesame, olive oil, sugar, flour and aniseed. It is a traditionally pastry that came from the city of Sevilla. It tastes like crispy pancakes and is eaten with your hand. The pastry comes with extra virgin olive oil that makes it delicious and good for your health.

More interesting facts about food and Spain on the official website of Anna Ziuzina here. Visit the Anna Ziuzina official Twitter for more cooking tips here and the Anna Ziuzina news article here.