Hand to Mouth Trivia Quiz

Answer:

"Jamon iberico" is by far my favorite Spanish food. When I lived in Spain, I ate so much "jamon iberico" that I started having stomach aches (and I kept eating nonetheless!) Iberian ham is cured pork leg that can be added to many different dishes to enhance their flavor; for example, "bocadillos" or "flautas" (variations of sandwiches) can be made out of "jamon" and other ingredients like "queso de oveja" (sheep's milk cheese). Sometimes only known as "Iberico", this ham has much more marbling than "jamon serrano", another very similar type of Spanish cured ham. Certain types of the ham, such as "pata negra" or "jabugo", need to fulfill certain conditions (such as coming from Black Iberian or Duroc pigs only). You might need to wipe your hands a few times to get the grease off, but it's well worth it!

"Pintxos," more common in the north of Spain, are a variation of "tapas" in that they are finger food; the main difference is that they are foods served on a piece of bread with a stick piercing all components of the snack. This is where the name "pintxos" (from "pinching") comes from. Almost any ingredient you can imagine can go on a "pintxo": shrimp, jamon, anchovies, salmon, goat cheese... you name it! "Montaditos" are very similar to "pintxos", since they also have a base of bread and an assortment of toppings. "Montaditos" tend to be smaller, and are not usually accompanied by the characteristic stick traversing the "pintxos".

"Pan tomate", also known as "pan tumaca" or "pa amb tomaquet" (depending on where you are in Spain) is a simple appetizer consisting of the two ingredients that form its name: bread and tomato. Usually, the bread is lightly toasted with olive oil, and then some garlic is rubbed on the toasted bread to give it flavor. Then, tomatoes are rubbed on the bread, which is then finished with olive oil and salt. Some people will deseed the tomato first or strain the tomato mixture so that only the solid parts stay on the bread and don't make it too soft. Though it can be eaten by itself, "pan tomate" is often topped with "jamon" or cheese. It is similar, but not the same as, bruschetta.

"Patatas bravas" are another icon of Spanish cuisine. There are countless variations, though they are usually cubed and fried potatoes served with a red sauce and alioli. Spaniards claim that the red sauce is supposed to be spicy (or "brava"), but as a Mexican, I'd have to disagree. The red sauce is usually made with paprika or "pimenton", and alioli is a garlic and olive oil emulsion. You might get a little dirty if you grab the sauced potatoes with your hands, but it's nothing a napkin can't quickly fix.

"Croquetas" or "croquettes" are another delicious Spanish food that can be easily eaten from hand to mouth. The croquettes are delicious fried finger foods that can have an assortment of fillings. Often confused with cheese, the common filling in "croquetas" is a Bechamel sauce, a roux made with flour, milk, and butter. "Croquetas" typically are filled with "jamon iberico", but that is certainly not the only way to prepare them. They can have tuna, chicken, cheese, or cod... the possibilities are endless!

"Olivas", also known as "aceitunas", are olives. Spanish olives and the olive oil they make are world-famous for their distinctive quality and flavor. They can come in green or black, and with or without pits. Most Spanish restaurants, eateries, or bars will give diners complimentary "olivas" when they first sit at their table or stool. They can be eaten with the hands or with pinched with toothpicks. My recommendation? "Gordal" or "Gordales" olives. These are green, juicy, flavorful, and huge!

"Pimientos de Padron" are green peppers that get their name from the Padron municipality in northern Spain. These peppers are not spicy at all (again, the writer of this quiz is Mexican, but I think Spaniards would agree here too). This appetizer can be prepared in as fast as a minute: the peppers are fried in olive oil until they change color, then placed on a paper towel, and immediately salted with coarse salt. Since the stems are not removed, the peppers can be grabbed by the stem and eaten in one bite. They are delicious and can be addictive too!

A "tabla de fiambres" is simply a charcuterie board. Some "fiambres" (or meats) that you are sure to see are "chorizo" (spicy pork sausage), "chorizo de Pamplona" (a variety of thinly-sliced chorizo), "lomo" or loin, salami, "salchichon" (another type of Iberian sausage), and "fuet" (a Catalan pork sausage that is covered in mold). Different varieties of cheese may also be added to the "tabla."

"Churros" are of course the Spanish (later adopted in Mexico) dessert made of fried dough and sugar. The "churro" shape can either be curly or straight, and the food is typically served with a thick chocolate sauce that is used for dipping. A very famous "churro" place in Madrid is "Chocolateria San Gines", though there are certainly many others.

Now the ones that CAN'T be eaten with your hands (I assume everything is possible, but you'd probably struggle trying these without cutlery): (1) "gazpacho" is a tomato and cucumber soup that is served cold; (2) cocido madrileņo is a chickpea soup prepared with vegetables and meat; (3) "fabada" is a traditional Asturian dish made with beans and meats like chorizo and blood sausage; (4) "gambas al ajillo" are shrimp or prawns cooked in olive oil with lots of garlic (you could certainly grab the prawn with your hands, but it's preferred to eat with cutlery so you can also enjoy the resulting sauce); and (5) "pulpo a la gallega" is a Galician dish made of boiled octopus cooked with olive oil and potatoes, and finished with salt and paprika. Again, no one can technically stop you from grabbing the octopus and potato pieces with your hands, but you are much better off enjoying the flavorful olive oil in the same bite as the octopus or the potato.