Exploring the Culinary Delights of Different Cultures

My name is Lauren Saxton. I'm an international business major at Grand View University and I studied abroad in Barcelona. I chose CIS Abroad because of their active presence in your study abroad experience, they were helpful throughout the registration process, and the help didn't stop there. While in Barcelona it was very nice to have an on-site director to assist, coordinate fun small events or bigger trips, and give pointers about the place we [the students] would be living for the semester. I appreciated this even more as I met more students studying abroad through different programs that did not have somebody helpful on-site, nor organized events to enhance the study abroad experience. I am glad I chose CIS Abroad because of this, and for the apartment and amenities provided during my stay.

I think an important part of cultural competency is accepting and trying new food, whether it be where you are studying abroad or other places you are traveling. While I studied in Barcelona, Spain, I tried a number of tapas and other dishes. Outside of Spain I had a family friend in France and was able to try some of their popular foods as well. 

In Spain, my favorite food was Padron peppers, they have great flavor and were a great snack or pairing with dinner. Every chance I had to get them I would, when my parents visited I introduced them to Padron peppers, a friend from the U.S. who came to visit, and my friend from Germany too, along with tapas dinners with friends. My parents and I have even replicated Padron peppers with Shishito peppers at home in the U.S. and plan to order Padron peppers at some point. 

My second favorite tapa was patatas bravas and the sauces varied a little at each place I tried them. Some other popular dishes I tried were Spanish tortilla, fried eggplant with honey, patatas bravas, gazpacho soup, Iberian ham, croquettes, and many more. Two that I tried (because it is always good to give it a chance!) and did not love were bocadillo de calamares, which is a squid sandwich, and paella. For both of these, I did not love the flavor, nor the texture of the sandwich.

I tried paella a few different times, at a restaurant in Barcelona, in a cooking class, and in Valencia - in Valencia, the flavor was a little better. Even though I did not love it, many other students I met did love the paella and the different options of meat you can get with it. 

The desserts I enjoyed were churros, gelato, and an endless number of pastries. Two that my Spanish teacher introduced to me were panellets, which are a traditional dessert of All Saints' Day. The second was mantecados, which are a traditional Christmas sweet that originated in Spain in the 16th Century, these I liked so much I brought them home to my family to eat at our Christmas festivities. 

The best way to learn about foods you should try in any country you go to is by talking with locals or taking a cooking class, this was something my study abroad group did through our program. In our class, we made gazpacho, pan con tomate (it is toasted bread with tomato and garlic), Spanish tortilla, seafood paella, and crema Catalan for dessert. This was a fun way to practice our cooking skills and be immersed. 

It is good to try local food to expand your taste, you might find something you love and never thought you would; it is also important because of how it can be a way for you to connect with people. After I had tried some local food, I was then able to talk about what I liked about the local food of Spain and what more I was interested in. I thought it made more of a connection with Spaniards as it showed appreciation for their food and openness to try more, it allowed them to recommend more for me to try. I love the old saying that food is the way to a person's heart because trying and liking food from another culture is a great way to intertwine yourself into that culture. Food connects people, and it is one of the best (and tastiest) ways to do so!

When I visited France, I was able to try a lot of interesting foods too, some homemade and some from restaurants. In Toulouse, France, my parents and I met with the French girl, Lena, whom we hosted for a school semester in Iowa, U.S.A., and met all of her family. They invited us to their home where her mom prepared many French classics: Iberian ham with tomato confit, semi-cooked foie gras, salmon gravlax (salt-treated raw salmon), scallops olive and orange plancha, truffle potato puree with steak, eclairs, tropézienne, cheese, and wine. 

We also went to a restaurant in Toulouse and had some unique dishes, one of the few times I’ve had fine dining, we had: beef tartare with Oleron oysters, scallop carpaccio with parsnip mousseline and vinaigrette, pan-fried gnocchi with hazelnut quinoa & fennel salad, and flambeed croustade apples with vanilla whip cream and sorbet. While some of that might sound questionable, it was some of the best food I have had. 

The second time I visited France was in Paris, where Lena lives now, and while there I tried something I never thought I would have. She took me to a restaurant called “Bouillon Chartier” which was founded in 1896, they now have a few locations and are known for having affordable traditional French food in an art deco ambiance. From their affordable pricing I was able to try multiple appetizers, and the one I never thought I would try was snails. Lena likes snails and had ordered some for herself, so I decided to give it a try. The snails were seasoned with garlic and olive oil, so while that part was good, the snail itself was not so great to me. While I may not have liked it, it was still fun to try. For my entrée I had Beef Bourguignon, a classic meat and potatoes dish from France, it was delicious. 

From these experiences, I am glad that I was able to immerse myself into the culture and feel confident in continuing to try unique foods in other cultures. It has influenced me to be open-minded all the time about new experiences, big or small. Overall, I had a great experience trying foods from all over Europe and am excited to bring some of those dishes home, and look forward to trying many more when I return. 

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