There were two food trends in Spain that I just have to remark on. First, the cupcake craze has made it there. Sigh. Cupcakes have never been part of the baking culture in Europe. They are a distinctively American innovation. Both Barcelona and Valencia had cupcake shops, very similar to those found in the US. What is it about cupcakes? I have somehow missed the appeal of this now dated sensation. Maybe its the fussy liners you have to peel off or that the frosting to cake ratio is just wrong for my taste. I'm sure Spain is welcome to our American food culture, after all McDonald's and Starbuck's are on every corner throughout Europe, but I so value what makes their cuisine unique that I always find it jarring to discover American cultural trends infiltrating their country.
The second seeming trend was avocado with fish. We found this to be a weird combination. The first time we encountered it was seared tuna with guacamole and soy sauce. The second time was an avocado and prawn bake. Neither was pleasing. I'm not sure why it doesn't work, but I know it's not one I'm going to try out in my kitchen.
They haven't given up on all of their culinary identity, though. Paella, jamon, manchego, and tapas abounded. Yay for tradition!
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