Midwest to Mediterranean: S3, D3: Let Food be thy Medicine

James Beard said “Food is our common ground, a universal experience."

Today we learned about the Spanish culinary experience, also known as the Mediterranean diet, and how this influences both the culture of Spain and the health of its residents. The day started with a lecture from Professor Juan Pablo Pacheco who told us the history of the Mediterranean region including the influences of the Roman Empire (incredibly massive in its day) and the Islamic expansion (even bigger than the Roman Empire!) There is also Greek, Egyptian, Phoenician and American influence. Essentially, we can think of the origin of the Mediterranean diet as a really long potluck party where everyone brought something different to the table. (Who brought the little smokies?! Oh, that was the Barbarians! You simply must get the recipe!)

The warmer, more southern regions brought wheat and fermented foods like olives, cheese, and wine (bless you!). In addition to being life of the party, this contribution was largely due to need as products like these do not last in warm environments and must be fermented in order to keep. And fortunately for us, fermented products are great for gut health! (Ok, so wine everyday…check.) The northern regions (referred to as Barbarians during Roman times given their noon-Roman nature - not cool) brought the meat including pork and blood sausages. This is why jamon (dried ham) is such a staple in Spain today.

Side story, during the Spanish Inquisition (1400-1800’s), in which the Catholic Monarchy strived to convert and/or expel Jewish and Muslim populations, these folks would hang large Jamon legs in their windows to avoid persecution. (Also not cool.)

Back to the food…the Arabic regions brought the spice, flavors and rice. Hard to imagine having a decent paella without these things! And finally, the Americas brought things like tomatoes and potatoes. (Where would Spain be without its cold Gespacho soup/drink?) All in all, it’s a hell of a healthy dietary cocktail that we can now all enjoy!

After class, we trekked over to the vibrant neighborhood known as La Latina to visit their local food market. Most major neighborhoods in Madrid have a market that is filled with all of your major staples, including your meats, fruits and veggies, dry goods, seafood, sweets, and probably a kitchen sink (sorry no Mac ‘n Cheese Bran ❤️). While there, our guide Ernesto, encouraged us to try his favorite fruit which is known as a Nispero. This little fella is just bursting with flavor and can be described as a cross between a peach and a plum? (Big fan right here!)

We ended our day with a cooking class where we made a cold Gazpacho soup (I seriously don’t know if it’s a soup or a drink), Spanish tortilla (like a pan fried egg bake), Spanish paella (MVP!), and an almond flour cake for dessert. In the course of two hours, we made an entire meal for 25 people and were able to share it together. My students worked so well together, and we didn’t burn the place down! (You can nominate me for teacher of the year anytime.)

A big takeaway from today is that the Mediterranean diet is not so much a diet but more of a lifestyle. It’s certainly more than chugging gallons of olive oil and wine. (Sorry team!) The Mediterranean way of life is about eating the foods that are in season and now native to this region, sharing them with friends, getting outside, and moving around periodically. Fairly easy to do in Madrid but how one follows this lifestyle in the U.S. is not an easy answer, and what this team will wrestle with for the next two weeks. Cooking a meal with family and friends is a good small step in the right direction. I’ll bring the wine…you bring the lil smokies. 👊

Juan Pablo dropping knowledge on Spanish paella and its ingredients. Saffron spice (pistol of the flower) is more expensive than gold by weight. Rabbits, however, are quite inexpensive and a common ingredient. Sorry lil buddy.