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What do I get when I order a “café con nube” on holiday, and when exactly did the Moors rule the Iberian Peninsula? We have summarised everything you need to know about Spain in this little encyclopaedia.

In Italy, amphorae containing olive oil remains from Roman times were found on the banks of the Tiber. This came from Spain and was transported to Rome from what was then Baetica. The oil trade with the Hispanic product flourished and developed into one of the most important sources of income during the Roman Empire. During his reign, Emperor Hadrian had coins minted that showed both his portrait and an olive branch with the word HISPANIA. Then as now, Andalusia exported olive oil to other countries. Today, Spain is the largest European producer of “liquid gold”, olive oil. Around 215 million olive trees grow on an area of 2 million hectares of land. More than 60% of this is in Andalusia, mainly in the provinces of Jaén and Córdoba.

In traditional cultivation, the trees are harvested without the help of machines. Irrigation is sparse and there are only around 80 trees per hectare, so that the trees receive sufficient moisture and nutrients. Fertiliser is traditionally applied using horse manure. The traditional harvesting technique, also known as vareo, involves the men hitting the olive branches with long sticks so that the ripe fruit falls into the nets spread out under the trees. The olives are harvested by hand for the production of very fine oils. The modern cultivation method, which aims to produce a higher yield, is different. The distance between the trees is smaller and they are planted and pruned in such a way that they can be harvested more easily. This makes it possible to work cost-effectively using vibrating machines. The water requirement for these plantations is higher (given the current water shortage!); chemical fertilisers are also used.

Harvest time is between November and February. Only undamaged and fully ripe olives can be used to produce the best oil. These should be processed within 72 hours, as otherwise bitter substances are released that impair the fruitiness of the olive oil. Granite rollers are used to grind the olives (including the stone in traditional businesses) into a brownish paste. The oil that runs out of the olive paste is used for the highest quality olive oil, “flor de aceite”, the flower of oil. Important vitamins and unsaturated fatty acids are largely preserved. To produce a normal cold-pressed oil, the crushed olives are pressed in a pressing station or centrifuge. This produces the olive oil, which flows from a pipe into a large open metal container or vat. The subsequent fatty acid analysis provides information about the quality of the olive oil.

Around eight kilograms of ripe olives are needed to produce one litre. The oil is separated from the suspended matter and water produced during the pressing process and then filled into bottles or barrels. The acidity of the fruit plays an important role in olive oil production, as this increases if the fruit is damaged during harvesting or if it is stored for too long. The lower the acidity, the finer and fruitier the resulting oil.

• Aceite de Oliva Virgen Extra - Extra Virgin Olive Oil: This oil is the highest quality grade for Spanish olive oil and is guaranteed cold-pressed. The acidity must not exceed 1.0 (1g of fatty acid per 100g of oil).
• Aceite de Oliva Virgen: This oil, with a maximum acidity of 2.0, is also cold-pressed.
• Aceite de Oliva: It refers to a refined oil, but can also be a mixture of refined and cold-pressed oil. The nutrient content and flavour of this inexpensive oil, which is suitable for frying, are less valuable.

• Picual: fruity oil with an aroma and flavour reminiscent of dried figs and peaches. It is mainly used to flavour fruits and desserts.
• Hojiblanca: elegant oil with sweet and bitter nuances, whose quickly softening savoury note leaves an aroma of herbs and flowers. It is used for fried dishes, stews, gazpacho and for marinades for fish or meat.
• Verdial: green-golden, mild, fruity oil with an almond flavour. It is used for gazpacho, but also for marinades and steamed dishes.
• Arbequina: pale yellow to greenish oil with a slightly bitter flavour and the aroma of ripe artichokes and fragrant freshness. It is used for marinated dishes, leaf salads and for making alioli.
• Empeltre: pale yellow to old gold oil with a fruity, slightly sweet almond and slightly bitter flavour. It is used for salad dressings, marinades and mayonnaises.
• Cornicabra: golden-coloured oil with greenish reflections, with a velvety, sweetish, slightly bitter flavour. It is used for vegetable and game dishes as well as mayonnaise.

Afición is the passion for a cause. It often refers to the love of bullfighting. This term is used to describe a partisan, knowledgeable and passionate interest in the corrida de toros. Anyone who has afición belongs to the bullfighting public and is a devout follower.

Aficionado: literal translation: someone who takes a liking to something or is a fan. The term is often used for bullfighting enthusiasts and connoisseurs of bullfighting.

Alioli is a cold garlic cream that originally only consisted of garlic, oil and salt. The garlic is ground in a mortar with a pinch of salt to a fine paste and the olive oil is gradually added in a fine stream. Nowadays, egg yolk is often added for binding. Alioli is served as an accompaniment to a wide variety of dishes.

In spring, huge schools of tuna come from the Arctic Circle to spawn in the warm waters of the Strait of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean. Almadraba is a traditional fishing method in which the tuna are caught in nets that form an invisible curtain. Fishing boats and nets are used to drive the animals ever closer until they are trapped in the smallest of spaces and killed with harpoons and then hoisted onto the boats with iron hooks. To kill the fish and bring them on board, some of the fishermen still use archaic methods today. As the Japanese have bought the rights to fish in Andalusian waters, ultra-modern refrigerated freighters are waiting off Gibraltar to transport the coveted goods to the renowned Tokyo market. The fishing method is highly controversial worldwide, as it kills not only tuna, but countless other marine animals such as various shark species, manta rays, but also highly endangered sea turtles, dolphins and whales as “unwanted bycatch”. The tuna processed in Andalusia often comes from distant seas.

• White tuna - atún blanco or bonito del norte: The flesh of this tuna fished off the coasts of the Cantabrian Sea, which can weigh more than 10 kilos, is light in colour, juicy, firm and aromatic. The filleted belly meat, called ventrecha, is considered a delicacy. (Basque country: mendreska)
• Light tuna - atún claro or rabil: In the tropical seas (especially Ecuador), light tuna, also known as atún claro or rabil, is caught. It is larger and heavier than white tuna, the flesh is slightly pink in colour and not as firm, juicy and aromatic as white tuna.
• Bluefin tuna - atún: This fish, which is mainly found in the Pacific and other tropical seas, can weigh up to 20 kilos. Its flesh is reddish in colour and quite fatty. As the meat is not as juicy, flavourful and tender as that of other species, it is often processed into mojama or sold as canned goods.
• Mojama: After the fish has been cut up and filleted, it is rubbed with coarse sea salt. Before it is dried, it is soaked in water to remove the excess salt. The drying process causes the fillets to shrink and develop the typical brown-red colour. The mojama is then cleaned again and packaged.

The Spanish Almendras growing region stretches from Tarragona to Valencia and Málaga. Other growing areas can be found in Granada and Almería as well as on the Balearic Islands. Spain harvests an average of 30,000 tonnes of almonds per year in August and September. A large proportion of this is destined for export. The almond tree is a robust, long-lived plant that blossoms every year (in January). The tree needs dry and hard soil. It meets its moisture requirements via its roots, which are located deep in the soil. Almond trees are best grown from the grafted bitter almond. The fruit of the bitter almond tree is not to be enjoyed pure. The outer, finely hairy fruit layer is burst by the ripe fruit, revealing the almond kernel.

Before the fruit falls to the ground, the farmers spread out cloths under the trees to make it easier to collect. The almond kernels used to be broken out of their shells by hand. Today, special machines are used for this purpose. There are countless varieties of almonds in Spain, such as Larguetas, Marconas, Planetas and Valencias. Some grow throughout Spain, others only in certain regions. As almonds are an important source of protein, they are not only delicious but also healthy. It consists of 54 per cent fat and contains iron, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin B. Two almonds contain as much linoleic acid (a polyunsaturated fatty acid that is good for the cardiovascular system) as 1.25 litres of milk.

The Alternativa is the ceremony in which the novillero is solemnly declared a matador. The most senior matador in the square hands over the muleta and the sword for the deathblow to the newcomer with a bowed head and an embrace and gives him the honour of killing the bull. If the Alternativa does not take place in Las Ventas, the arena in Madrid, it must be confirmed there at some point. If a matador does not get a contract for a bullfight in Madrid, it can happen that his Alternativa is never confirmed.

The name Andalusian is often used in common parlance for horses without proof of pedigree and not quite purebred specimens and is not a correct breed designation in these cases. Originally from Spain, the Andalusian breed is probably a cross between Spanish mares and Berber stallions, which were carried by the Moors. The flying mane, the low-set, proudly carried tail, the elegant appearance and the mostly white coat colour made this breed the favourite horse of many European monarchs. The Andalusian is known for its good action and supple gait. It is also very popular as a bullfighting mount due to its manoeuvrability and excellent gaits.

Breeding had been practised since the 15th century by Carthusian monks, who owned three large herds of pure oriental blood and whose purity was so important to them that they defied royal edicts in the 17th and 18th centuries that allowed the cross-breeding of foreign, Central European blood into Spanish stud farms. They also hid enough horses from the Napoleonic troops and thus ensured the survival of the breed. Andalusians do not have the typical concave head of the Arabian, but a straight profile. Most of the Andalusians still living today can be found in Spain. Their great popularity in Europe led to crossbreeding with many other breeds, such as Holsteiner, Württemberger, Lusitanian, …

The Moors introduced this cereal, which originated in Asia, to Spain in the 8th century. Since that time, the Albufera region (Valencia) has been one of the most important cultivation areas in Spain. The round grain rice grown in Spain has a soft, flavoursome centre and cooks very softly. Due to its high starch content, the grain is unmistakably white in colour. Only rice of the Bahía, Sénia and Bomba varieties is protected by the designation of origin. All packaging must bear a numbered label issued by the Standardisation Council. It is mainly used for risotto, paella and vegetable soups. It is also popular for desserts, as the grains stick together during cooking. For most small farmers, the labour-intensive cultivation of rice is only seen as a secondary source of income. After sowing in spring, the fields are flooded and the grains germinate at a temperature of around 12° C. Once they have reached a height of around 20 cm, they are ready for planting. Once they have reached a height of around 20 cm, they are pulled out in clusters and planted individually in another, already flooded field. After the water has drained off (if it has not already evaporated), they are harvested from September onwards. It is threshed, dried and then hulled and polished.

Andalusia has always been an arid region with scarce water resources. For centuries, the Andalusians have earned their living with climate-friendly agriculture, as they have adapted to the extreme climate both in their lifestyle and in their use of natural resources. The economic boom, tourism and the intensification of agriculture have led to a massive increase in water consumption in recent years. Tourists hardly ever notice the water shortage, as the pipes are fed from tanks and cisterns in an emergency and the golf courses are lush and green even when water is scarce. The real problem, however, is that many farmers have given up growing traditional crops and instead grow maize, rice, sugar beet and cotton, as these crops are more tolerable and are also subsidised by the EU. The disadvantage is that it requires much more water. In addition, irrigation is often inefficient, as farmers often water their fields in the midday heat instead of at night. The price paid by the local irrigation associations is based on the area of the field to be irrigated and not on the quantity used. Desertification is continuing in Spain and a solution to the water problem is not yet in sight.

The origin of saffron cannot be precisely determined. The Arabic word “az-zafaram” means something like “yellow”. The common linguistic root is still present in many European languages today. Saffron has been cultivated in Spain since the 10th century. In the 14th century, Catalan traders brought the spice to Naples and Venice. It became a favourite seasoning and colouring agent for Renaissance court chefs. It was also used as a means of payment, hence its nickname “red gold”. What makes this spice, obtained from the purple-flowering crocus Crocus sativus, so expensive is the laborious and time-consuming harvesting process. Saffron is harvested in autumn at dawn

Each flower, picked by hand, has three stigmas in the calyx. These are the saffron threads which, after harvesting, are dried in grain sieves on braziers and roasted. It takes around 80,000 to 150,000 flowers from a cultivation area of around 1000 square metres to produce one kilogram of them. The leading cultivation area in Spain is La Mancha. “La Mancha” is also the name of the most sought-after type of saffron on the world market. The correct designation of origin (labelling) also determines the price of saffron. Saffron is famous for its incomparable aroma and its bright yellow colour, which is produced by just a few saffron threads.

Safrana, a highly volatile substance, is responsible for the strong, aromatic flavour. The bitter substance picrocrocin produces the bitter-sweet, smoky, earthy flavour. Crocin, a water-soluble substance, provides the bright yellow colour. The threads are trumpet-shaped, dark red and about 1 to 4 cm long, depending on the growing region and quality. Saffron powder has a brick-red colour. When moistened with water, the yellow colouring dissolves immediately. As saffron threads retain their precious flavour for longer and cannot be imitated so easily, they should be preferred to the ground form when buying saffron. The saffron threads can be added whole and cooked with the dish. If a yellow colour is required, the threads should be added at the beginning of the cooking time. If the focus is on the flavour, the saffron should only be added towards the end, as only a few of the volatile aromatic substances will be lost. Saffron threads can be crushed or soaked in a little liquid (water, wine, vinegar, lemon juice). The solution is covered, left to stand for a few minutes and then added to the dish.

Azulejos are usually square, colourfully painted, glazed ceramic tiles, which are particularly common in Andalusia, but also in other parts of Spain and Portugal. As they used to be mostly blue in colour, the name is also derived from this: azul = blue. These weatherproof tiles are used on public monuments and buildings, house façades and churches, but also on interior walls and for decorative purposes, often forming artistic murals.