A Nose for Quality Trivia Quiz

Answer:

Paella comes from a part of Spain on the east coast called Valencia. The word "paella" means "frying pan" in the local Valencian language, which can get a bit confusing! That's why some Spanish people call the food "paella", and the frying pan a "paellera". A paellera is a large but shallow pan, where all the ingredients can be mixed and cooked over an open fire.

There are a lot of ways to pronounce "paella". In English, you might hear it pronounced like "pie-ella" or "pay-ella". In Spanish, double-L sounds different depending on which Spanish-speaking country you're in. So, you may hear it pronounced something like "pah-hey-jah" or "pah-hey-yah".

Rice is the main ingredient of paella. Short rice grains like "bomba" are preferred, because they can absorb more water without falling apart. This gives paella a unique taste and texture compared to other rice dishes like Italian risotto. Bomba rice is grown in Spain and might be hard to find in other countries. Luckily, Arborio rice is a good alternative, which can be found more easily in other countries. You might even have some Arborio rice in your kitchen pantry.

Saffron is the main spice used in traditional paella, giving it a rich yellow colour. Did you know that saffron is one of the most expensive spices in the world? It can cost up to $10,000 per kilogram, or $5,000 for a pound! Luckily, we only need a tiny amount - about $2 worth for our paella. If you don't have any saffron lying around, you can use other spices like turmeric, rosemary, or paprika. Your paella may taste a little bit different, but variety is the spice of life!

Next, we add ingredients like olive oil, tomato, garlic, onion, artichoke, bell peppers (capsicum), and beans. These add more flavour, vitamins and minerals, and some variety to each spoonful.

Finally, we can add some form of meat. A popular version called "paella de marisco" (in English, "seafood paella") contains different seafood, such as mussels, shrimp (prawns) and even lobster. "Paella mixta" (in English, "mixed paella") contains a mix of meats from livestock, like pork or chicken. But the most traditional version "paella valenciana" (in English, "Valencian paella") contains whatever meat could be found when the dish was first made a few hundred years ago - including rabbit, duck, and even snails!

Of course, you can change up the ingredients of paella from what I've described today. As dishes spread around the world, they pick up local ingredients to suit local tastes. Some people say that it is only true paella when prepared in the traditional Valencian way, but I think it's great to have more options to choose from. By experimenting with ingredients, you can make your own special version, perfect for your taste. Just be careful - I definitely wouldn't recommend adding any of the incorrect options to your mix. All of these poisons can make you very sick, or even kill you!