Just like Spanish people can sometimes learn from us in England, there are a few lessons that people can learn from Spain. Here are just a few!
Take an Afternoon Siesta
The first thing that Spanish builders do when working on a job, is check the best position for their hammock, ready for the afternoon nap! It helps when it’s sunny, but we can all benefit from learning to slow down and relax when tired.
Like Italy, Spanish shops tend to shut for a few hours at lunch for a proper meal and nap, then open later in the evening. A far healthier lifestyle than our ‘nine-to-five’ routine.
Intelligence without naps, is a bird without wings. Spanish artist Salvador Dalí
Preventing Over-tourism
Unlike England’s Lake District (and the cities of Bath and Stratford-upon-Avon), Barcelona has taken action on over-tourism, which has surged since the coastal city hosted the Olympics.
Fed up of ‘35,000 tourists descending all-at-once from cruise ships’, locals are now happy to charge a tax to deter them! This is taking back their city from litter-dropping tourists, who take excursions run by cruise companies (so not bringing local money into the city).
Take Action for Animals
You may be surprised to learn that Spaniards have a strong animal welfare movement (many cities have banned bullfights, which usually only exist due to tourists from the UK and North America). Sussex priest Fr Terry Martin is asking Vatican City to denounce bullfighting, strongly linked to the Catholic faith.
Spain even has its own animal welfare party, which has passed animal welfare laws like it now being illegal to leave dogs alone, for a considerable amount of time.
Spanish cities are also joining the worldwide movement to ban tourist horse carriages, due to accidents and thirsty/tired horses. Spain is also at the forefront of the movement to ban greyhound racing.
Homemade Spanish Sangria (no alcohol)
Here’s a nice recipe. No-Alcohol Sangria (Wallflower Kitchen) is ideal for summer evenings, and although it’s based on the popular Spanish drink, this one is free from alcohol. All you need is fresh fruit, fruit juice and soda or sparkling water.
Avoid unpasteurised fruit and juice if pregnancy/nursing or you have weak immunity (including children).
Keep citrus fruits away from pets (just bin scraps, as like rhubarb and allium vegetables, acids could harm compost creatures).
You can mix and match the fruits, the recipe above uses orange, grape and cranberry, though you could use apple juice instead. This recipe uses fresh apples, strawberries, lemons and oranges. Or try peach and cherries. You can even add an optional cinnamon stick.
The chopped fruit and juice are mixed in a jug, and infused (with the optional cinnamon stick) for a few hours, then chilled in the fridge, before serving with soda or sparkling water. Drink soon, as it does not keep that long.
Look in stores for Aimee’s wonderful cookbook Great British Vegan. She has recipes for all your favourites including:
- English pancakes
- Carrot cake muesli
- Breakfast butties
- BLT salad
- Cider Bean Stew with herby dumplings
- Lancashire hotpot
- Bangers and Mash
- Shepherd’s Pie
- Tofu korma
- British veggie burger
- Welsh rarebit
- Portobello steak and kidney bean pie
- Victoria sponge
- Scottish shortbread
- Rhubarb and ginger crumble
- Banoffee pie pots
Make Your Own (vegan) Spanish Paella
There is not much better than a big plate of paella on a sunny day. But rather than using fish, try this recipe for plant-based paella (The Simple Veganista). It’s just as good, free from cholesterol, fish-friendly and prevents over-fishing and ghost fishing waste. All for the good!
Don’t eat cooked rice after 24 hours. Before cooking, read up on food safety for people and pets (onions, garlic and spices are not safe near animal friends).
You don’t need a paella pan to make this dish, a large frying pan is fine. You can also easily adjust the ingredients. Rice is obviously mandatory! The recipe above uses bell peppers, green beans, peas, tomatoes and artichokes, but you could use asparagus or capers, and add chickpeas or even vegan sausage.
If saffron is too expensive, sub with a little turmeric instead. You’ll also need a good veggie broth (make your own, to avoid palm oil). Unlike risotto (which you always have to stir), paella is best when you let the rice cook itself. Don’t stir!
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge, for a few days. For more recipes like this, read the book Vegan Recipes from Spain, by a professional chef.
