First Issue

The subject of this correo is food, a subject that is close to my heart because my heart is closer to my stomach than my head. I will begin by apologizing to my friends who are Jewish, Muslim or Vegetarian. The most typical food for Andalusia is pig; ham to be exact. No restaurant or bar would dream of not having ´jamon´ on the menu and it comes in a mind-boggling variety. The price is equally varied depending on such factors as where the pigs were raised and what they were fed as well as how the ham was cured. If the hungry visitor to southern Spain grows tired of ham they can always eat chorizo sausage, bacon or salami.
There is always lots of seafood available should pork not be on your diet and seafood is the second ingredient in paella; a famous Andalusian dish. For those of you unfamiliar with Spanish cuisine, the first ingredient in paella is rice. If, like some of my friends, you are allergic to shellfish there is always cheese. It is plentiful, delicious, varied and not terribly expensive. The lactose-intolerant among you will need to resort to consuming the delicious fruit and vegetables and avoiding the delicious ice cream sold virtually on every corner. Salad can be a bit of a surprise - I had tuna salad at a restaurant in Tarifa (the most southerly city in Europe) and it was comprised of tuna, onions and curiously bitter roasted red peppers, all drizzled with olive oil. Ah yes, olives! The reason for drinking martinis. Spain is, after all, a Mediterranean country and olives are abundant. I will conclude this now before I start to eat my arm. I hope this finds everyone well-fed.
Hasta luego! Andrea
p.s. Canadians call it "Kraft Dinner" (The Barenaked Ladies mention it in the song If I Had a Million Dollars), Americans call it "Mac & Cheese" and in the UK it is called "Cheesy Pasta" and I found a place here that I can buy it.