Feast of a Saint
~Blog Post #2~
April 13, 2015
By: Gabby Gallo
Food is a major part of the Spanish culture and is very important in the lives of the people in Spain. The Spanish diet is different than the one we are used to here in America, but is often considered healthier and better for the people. Instead of having three large meals a day, the people in Spain generally have four smaller meals spaced throughout the day. After their meals they tend to walk a lot, giving them a lot of time to socialize. Lunch tends to be the largest meal of the day there, and is where many people decide to spend time with friends and family. Snack time, or “la merienda” is often a very social time for children, since it is after lunch and they have a lot of energy. It is very common to see children everywhere playing soccer and doing other activities with their friends. Dinner is eaten much later, anywhere from 9:00-midnight, and is generally spent with whoever the rest of the night will be spent with. The dining schedule in Spain is also reflective on the social activity schedule, because many events take place much later in spain than they do in America. It is typical for people to return home around 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning, accompanied by “churros con leche” or churros with hot chocolate, typically.
The patron saint of Spain is Saint John, so his feast day, July 25th, is a big part of the Spanish culture. There is a huge celebration in Barcelona, where people gather for mass, dances, theatre and art shows, and a lot of food. The most common type of food to be eaten at this feast is a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, meat and various desserts well-known in Spain.
Sierra, Lisa, and Tony Sierra. "Meals and the Culture of Spain." About Food. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2015.
"Feast of Saint James the Apostle in Spain." Time and Date. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2015.
Gabby, good job with this post. You covered the feast day and the picture helps because it demonstrates the celebration of it. The only thing I would change is including a little recipe because that would give a better idea of what types of specific foods include in the mess. Instead of fruits and vegetables, what types and how would they be grown maybe would help. Great post and details. I was interested in your facts and also how you connected food to culture because that's what this is all about!
ReplyDeleteI like how you walked us through a typical day in Spain. I don't know a whole lot about Spanish culture but having four meals a day is definitely a new idea to me. I also like how you talked about a more social aspect to the culture while incorporating the food into it. It all mended very well.
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