What is the Spanish language?

. . . The Spanish language has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, having evolved from several dialects of Latin. It is part of the Ibero-Romance language group, along with Castilian (another word for Spanish)*, Portuguese, Catalan, and Galician. It is also part of the Romance language group, along with French, Portuguese, Italian, and Romanian.

Spanish, or Castilian, became more widespread through the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile, that unified northern Spain with central and southern Iberia in the late Middle Ages. The unification of the kingdoms of Castile and Leon under the Reyes Católicos (Catholic Monarchs) Ferdinand and Isabel, along with the rise of the Spanish Empire, solidified the place of Spanish among the top three languages spoken in the world.

Castilian and Spanish are synonyms for the Spanish language. However, the usage of Castilian is due to the fact that there are many different languages spoken in Spain; thus, to call one of the many other languages "Spanish" would assume that none of the other languages spoken in Spain are also Spanish or of Spanish origin. The other languages of Spain, both official and unofficial, are Galician, Basque, Catalan, Aranese, Asturian, Aragonese, Extremaduran, and Fala.

* Castilian in Spanish is castellano.

from http://www.spanishdict.com 

How to order coffee in Spain by Pim

“While I’m not much of a fan of coffee in France, I love coffee in Spain. I particularly adore it when a matronly waitress comes to my breakfast table with two giant, steaming pots, one filled with dark coffee and the other hot milk, and then performs a delicate balancing –and dangerous- act of pouring both at once into a waiting coffee cup. I wince every time, but I’ve yet to see a spill. Quite extraordinary really!
"That particular style of coffee is called Café con Leche, coffee with milk, quite likely the most popular breakfast beverage in Spain.  My other favorite –especially to drink in the afternoon- has a bit less milk, and is called Café Cortado. It’s basically an espresso cut with just a little bit of milk . . . 
"Here’s [sic] the rest of the coffee terms I’ve learnt . . .

Café Solo – single espresso
Café Double – double espresso
Café con Leche – coffee with milk, usually almost half and half proportionally
Café Cortado – espresso cut with just a bit of milk
Café con Hielo – espresso served along side a glass of ice . . . “

From the blog at http://chezpim.com/travel/

Popular Music in Spain by Aisha Vohra

Contemporary Spanish pop is as risky and cutting-edge as any scene in the world, and encompasses everything from shiny Electronica and Eurodisco, to homegrown Blues, Rock, Punk, Ska, Reggae and Hip-pop to name a few artist like Enrique Iglesias or Alejandro Sanz have become successful internationally, selling million of albums worldwide and winning major music awards such as the coveted Grammy Award. 

The popular songs at the moment in Spain are "Te Voy Esperar " by Juan Magan & Belinda, "Tanto" by Pablo Alboran, "Tacata"by Tacabro. - Genre: Pop

Folk Dances of Spain by Chaitra

Spain is a country with a long and rich tradition of folk dance and music.  Each region takes pride in its unique culture and contribution to the country's overall customs. Spain's strong dance traditions are closely related to its regional musical styles.  Some of the dances of Spain are portrayed on the country's stamps pictured below:

La Muñeira from Galacia

La Jota from the Valencia region

La Rueda from the Castilian-Leonese region

La Mateixa from the Baleric Islands

El Candil from Extremadura

El Aurresku
from the Basque region

El Bolero Goyesco from Castile

Las Seguidillas from La Mancha

El Fandango from the Andalucia region

La Sardana from the Catalonia region

La Isa from the Canary Islands

The Music Of Spain By: Aisha Vohra

The music of Spain has a long history. The Romans, early Christians, Visigoths, Jews, Arabs and Moors have all, at different times, called Spain home. Each of these groups has contributed their musical traditions and styles.  Therefore, Spanish music is diverse from region to region.  It has played an important part in western classical music and has had a big influence on Latin American music.

The "States" of Spain

Political power in Spain is organized as a central government with 19 states or "autonomous communities" (two of which are autonomous cities).  Each "autonomous community" has its own government and it's own parliament.  These regional governments are responsible for the administration of schools, universities, health & social services, urban & rural development and, in some cases, policing.

Resource: Wikipedia

NBC News - The Week in Pictures

Mad in Madrid - Spaniards, caught in a demonstration, huddle in a restaurant as the owner, in white, pleads with protesters to stop throwing rocks during protests against the government's economic austerity plan in Madrid on Sept. 25. Riot police fired rubber bullets and baton-charged protesters as thousands rallied near Parliament.

NBC News: The Week in Pictures: August 20-27, 2012

Food in Spain by Shreya

Spaniards love their food! The typical Spaniard probably eats the most meals throughout the day compared to any other nationality. Bread is a food that is always on the Spanish table. It's plentiful, fresh, and used to mop up sauces.  Since Spaniards love eggs and dairy foods, you will find that many desserts are made from fresh milk or cream.  Fresh fruit is typical to see on the dessert menu and coffee is something you shouldn't forget.

A typical breakfast, el desayuno, might include café con leche (strong coffee with hot milk), bollos (sweet rolls) with jam or toast with jam or mild cheese.

Tapas are little Spanish meals eaten well after breakfast but before lunch.  Spaniards love it so much, they even made a verb out of it.  The phrase "Vamos a tapear!" means "Let's go eat tapas!"
                  
La comida (lunch) is the largest meal of the day in Spain, with multiple courses. Spaniards usually take a 2-3 hour break to enjoy la comida which includes taking a siesta (nap). The entire country closes up from 2 pm to 4:30 pm. This is a tradition that goes back for centuries.  Here is a sample meal that you might find on the menu at a restaurant or if you were invited over to someone's home for lunch:

• Vegetable or Seafood Soup
• Fresh Fish or Seafood, Roast Chicken or Lamb, Fried Potatoes, Rabbit Stew, etc.
• Green Salad or Vegetables
• Dessert - Flan, Light Pastry, Fresh Fruit or Ice Cream
• Coffee, Brandy and a Cigar

The late afternoon snack is called la merienda and is necessary especially for children who have lots of energy and play games in the streets after school.  La merienda is eaten around 4:30 pm or 5:00 pm and since dinner isn't served for another 3-4 hours, no one is worried it will ruin their appetite.  La merienda can be anything from a piece of French-style bread with a piece of chocolate on top, to bread with chorizo, ham or salami.

La cena (dinner) is smaller than lunch and eaten between 9:30 and midnight.  It might include seafood, chicken, lamb, fried potatoes or rice.  A green salad and lighter dessert or fruit many also be eaten.
        
The last stop on the way home from an evening of fun might be a churro stand. To accompany it, they have hot chocolate. This hot chocolate isn't the kind that we usually get. It's thick chocolate made from fresh, hot milk.

   
     Resource: www.spanishfood.about.com

Aioli Sauce (Spain)

This is a typical Catalonian sauce (Northeastern Spain).  Originally, it was made with only garlic & oil.

Ingredients:

1-2 cloves garlic

Salt

1 egg yolk

2 t. lemon juice

½ t. white pepper

extra virgin olive oil

Grind garlic and salt together.  Add the egg yolk, lemon juice and black pepper.  Whisk together until smooth.  Start adding olive oil, drop by drop, while whisking until sauce becomes very thick. 

Spanish Cucumber Rolls

Ingredients:
2 boiled eggs
2 tomatoes
1 green onion
1 green bell pepper
2 cucumbers
extra virgin olive oil
Modena vinegar
sea salt.

Dice eggs, tomatoes, onion, and pepper then marinate for half an hour in olive oil and vinegar.  Thinly slice cucumbers lengthwise.  Roll veggies inside cucumbers and chill in refrigerator until serving.  You can sprinkle with poppy seeds or sesame seeds, if you like.

Non-vegetarian alternative: add smoked salmon or bacon bits for added flavor.

Spanish Omlette (Tortilla Espanol)

Ingredients (for 3 people):

·         4 eggs; 1/2 kilo potatoes, thinly sliced;  2 onions, thinly sliced;  Olive oil (1/4 litre);  Salt to taste

1: Wash and cut the potatoes and onions. Heat the oil in the pan, and add potatoes and salt.  Stir occasionally until potatoes become a little soft.  Add in onions and finish cooking.  Remove the potato mixture from pan and drain, so that as much oil as possible is removed.

2: Beat the eggs well with a pinch of salt, and add to the potatoes. Mix well.

3: Put two small spoonfuls of olive oil in the frying pan, so that the bottom of the pan is covered with a thin layer of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the potato, onion and egg mixture.  Tip: shake the pan gently as you move the mixture, so that none sticks to the bottom.  Once the omelette seems to be cooked, use the lid of the frying pan (or a large plate) to tip the omelette out of the pan, add a little more oil and slide the omelette in again, this time putting the less cooked side first into the pan. If you need to repeat this step, so that the omelette is perfectly cooked and golden on both sides, you may do so. This omelette is delicious hot or cold.

Spinach Croquetas (Spain)

Any visitor to Spain will have seen Croquetas served as tapas in Spanish restaurants.  You can make croquetas with ham, fish, chicken, spinach, etc. We were even served some croquetas with a curry filling recently, although this is not common. This is an easy croquetas recipe and although preparation is a bit fiddley, the end result is worth it.

Ingredients (for 4 people):

·                     1 teaspoon of olive oil

·                     2 teaspoons of flour

·                     1/4 litre of milk

·                     1 Egg

·                     100 grams of bread crumbs

·                     Nutmeg

·                     150 grams of spinach, cut into small pieces

·                     Salt

1. Put the oil in a frying pan and warm it. Once the oil is warm (but before it is so hot that smoke rises from it) remove the pan from the heat and add the flour to the oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until it becomes a paste.

2. Put the pan on the heat again and add the milk, little by little, stirring the mixture all the time until it is cooked and even. Add the nutmeg, a pinch of salt and the spinach cut into small pieces. Cook in the pan until the mixture is stiff, and don't stop stirring.

3.  As soon as the mixture is stiff enough, spoon it into a bowl and let it cool. Beat the egg. Once the mixture is cool, make small portions and mould them with your hands into the shape of a croqueta (oval). Dip each croqueta into the beaten egg and then dip it into the breadcrumbs which will stick to the croqueta because of the egg. Place each croqueta separately on a plate. You can fry them straight away, or put them into the fridge and leave them until you are ready to cook and eat them.

4. Fry the croquetas in a pan with enough oil to cover them. When they are golden and crispy, take them out and lay them on kitchen roll to absorb the excess oil. Serve warm with Aioli Sauce.

© 2000 Euroresidentes. ItyIs Siglo XXI, Spain

Escalibada (Spanish Red Pepper & Aubergine Salad)

This delicious salad, Escalibada, is a Catalan dish and is one of Spain's most popular cold tapas.

·                     4 red peppers

·                     3 aubergines

·                     2 large tomatoes

·                     1 large onion

·                     salt and pepper

·                      4 medium-sized potatoes (optional)

·                     6 spoonfuls of vinegar

·                     2 medium-sized glasses of olive oil

·                     2 cloves of garlic

·                     A pinch of cumin (optional)

1. Heat the oven up to 180º. Wash and dry all the ingredients. Put the peppers, aubergines, tomatoes and onions (all whole) in an oven dish or on the oven tray. Put them in the oven. Wrap the potatoes up in foil and put them in the oven too. Leave for approximately one and a half hours to roast. Turn them over once.

2. When they are roasted, take the vegetables out and peel all of them (except the potatoes). Some people find it easier to peel red peppers by hand. It is importante to peel them as soon as they are taken out of the oven - if they are left too long to cool, the skin may cling onto the peppers. Cut the tops off the aubergines and red peppers.

3. Remove the little pips from inside the red peppers, and cut the peppers and aubergines into long strips. Slice the onion and tomato. Keep all ingredients separate and add salt, pepper, a few drops of vinager and a generous amount of olive oil.

4. Cut the baked potatoes, empty the skins, cut them up, add olive oil and salt and pepper.

5. Put all the ingredients on a serving dish (don't mix them up - make individual portions of each vegetable). Sprinkle the chopped garlic over the whole dish, season with salt and pepper (and ground cumin or whole cumin seeds if you wish) and pour some more olive oil and vinager over if required.

Vegetarian Paella ( Spanish Rice)

2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 1/2 cups chopped onions; 1 red bell pepper, chopped; 2 teaspoons garlic, minced; 1 cup rice; 3-4 tomatoes, chopped; 2 cups vegetable stock; 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 2 cups zucchini, cut in 1-inch cubes; 1 cup carrot, chopped; 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed; 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped;

Set out all ingredients before starting.

In a large pot, cook onion, red pepper, and garlic with olive oil over medium high heat; stir occasionally for about 5 minutes until vegetable are softened. 

Stir in rice to coat with oil and vegetable mixture then add tomatoes, broth, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. 

Cover and reduce heat to medium low. Cook for 10 minutes; stirring occasionally.

Add zucchini and carrots.  Contine to cook, covered, for 15-20 minutes until broth is almost absorbed.  Add peas and parsley to cook a few more minutes until heated thoroughly.

Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/zesty-veggie-paella-307263?oc=linkback

How to Make Vegetable Stock

Vegetable stock is an excellent substitute for chicken stock, and is a must for all types of vegetarian cooking.  To make 4 cups of vegetable stock we used 2 large onions, 2 medium carrots, 3 stalks of celery, 1 whole bulb of garlic, 10 peppercorns, and a bay leaf.

1. Chop the vegetables into large chunks rather than small dice. The stock should simmer for a full hour--and over time, the stock will take on all of the flavors of the vegetables.

2. Remove and discard leaves from the celery stalks. Celery leaves, especially those on the outside of the bunch, are bitter and should not be added.

3. Slice the celery into large pieces.

4. Peel and chop the carrots into large pieces. If you'd like to preserve more of the carrots' nutrients, don't peel them. Instead, scrub them under cold running water, then chop into large pieces.

5. Garlic is the base flavor for this stock, so we use a whole bulb of garlic.

Break up the bulb into individual cloves. Peel the garlic but no need to chop the garlic.

6. Once all of your ingredients have been prepared, combine them in a large stockpot--large enough to hold the covering water.

7. Add aromatics to the vegetable medley. We used peppercorns and a bay leaf. You can also add herbs or scraps leftover from other dishes. Potato scraps will help thicken the stock a little. Parsley, thyme, or rosemary stems are other good additions. If you're planning on using this stock in an Asian recipe, try adding fresh, peeled ginger.

8. Pour enough water into the stockpot to completely immerse the vegetables.

An interesting trick to making delicious, thick vegetable stock is to use potato water strained from mashed potatoes along with (or instead of) water!

9. Turn the stove to a high temperature, and bring the stock to a quick boil. Once the water has begun to boil, turn the stove down to low. Allow the vegetables to simmer for an hour. Any longer than an hour and the vegetables will begin to turn mushy and begin to lose all their vibrant flavor.

10. Strain your stock through a fine mesh straining device. Cheesecloth placed in a colander would also work well.

11. The stock should be light in color, sweet, and translucent. If you want a darker colored stock, caramelize the onions and carrots before placing them in the stockpot. Alternately, roast the vegetables until caramelized, then add them to the stockpot.

The Spanish Speaking World

approximate number of Spanish speakers by country