Apartfromthebeautifulandvariedlandscape,theheatoftheandaluciansunshineandthepassionofthepeople,Andaluciaiswellknownthroughouttheworldasaverysocialandfriendlyplaceespeciallywhenitcomestoenjoyingfood.Andalucia,thelargestandsouthernmostregionofSpainisfamousforitsgastronomicculturewhichinvolveslonglazylunchesandmanyhourssocialisingoveratapa.

　　ItissaidthattheandaluciansandindeedtheSpanisheatmorefoodthantheirEuropeancounterparts.Thismaybetrue,butitisthemannerinwhichthelocalpeopleapproachtheirmealsthatissospecial.

　　Spanishbreakfast...

　　Firstupisofcoursebreakfast.HoweverunliketheBritishwherebreakfasttraditionallyinvolvesalargefryuporcerealtoppedwithfruitfollowedbytoast,theSpanishbreakfastisthesmallestoftheday.Usuallythedaybeginswithacupofteaorcoffeeoraglassofmilkorabatido(chocolatemilkdrink).Thisisoftenaccompaniedbybiscuitsofsomesort.Inthe'desayuno'orbreakfastsectionofthesupermarketyouwillfindallmannerofbiscuitsfromthehealthyhighinfibreonestothekid'svarietiespackedwithcalciumandchocolateforgoodmeasure.

　　Spanishlunch...

　　Lunchistypicallybetween2and3pmbutcangoonuntilatleast4or5pm.ThisisespeciallytrueinAndaluciaduringthesummermonthsasitreallyistoohottodoanythingmuchandlunchtimeisanopportunitytohaveagoodmeal,getoutofthesunandenjoyasiesta.

　　Spanishdinner...

　　Duetothelatelunchandseeminglyconstantsnackinginbetween,dinnerdoesn'tusuallyhappenbefore9pm.Althoughsmallerthanlunch,theSpanisheveningmealisstillasocialaffairwiththefamilysittingdowntogether.Dinnercanconsistoftwoorthreecourses,orabbqinthesummerbutsometimesitisjustayoghurtandfruitorsomethinglightsuchasabowlofricewithvegetablesorabowlofsoup.Alighteveningmealorsupperisoftenthecaseduringthewintermonthswhenchildrenandparentshavetogetupearlyforschoolandwork.