Eat & Drink in Valencia
Published: 08/11/2009 by Tim Birch
Valencians eat five times a day Desayuno, Breakfast, early in the morning. Almuerzo, A mid Morning snack consisting of a filled baguette, a glass of wine or beer, coffee and often a brandy (often mixed as a carajillo). Comida, Lunch at around 2.30pm, 3 courses, bread, wine or beer folowed by more coffee or a carajillo. Merienda, Teatime, often a doughnut and milk or more coffee, or Horchata and Fartons (more on this later). and Cena, Dinner, eaten at around 2230 and consisting of much the same as lunch. A healthy mediterranean diet.
If you are not used to it, mealtimess are hard to get used to, especially if you are visiting for a short while. Walk into a restaurant in Valencia before 9 pm and you'll be leaving as the place starts to hop!
Next, the food here. Paella is king in Valencia. The Valencians invented the Paella. Made with the rice that the Moors first planted south of the city and said to be the largest paddies in Europe, they are a ten minute drive out of Valencia and are very beautiful just about now. You can take a boat trip around the Albufera and the Paddies and you can eat rice prepared over 100 different ways in the village of El Palmar. A real Valencian Paella is made with Chicken and Rabbit and a good one is delicious.
