Living and traveling abroad has given me the opportunity to live and share meals with people from all over the world! I am currently living with a great guy from Barcelona. He loves to remind me that he is not Spanish but actually Catalan! There is a high level of pride among people from the Catalan region in Spain. In fact, this region has been trying to secede from Spain for many generations.
Lucky for me, Gerard is a great cook and is always very generous about sharing his experiments in the kitchen or food that his parents bring him from Spain. His Catalan cuisine is very heavy in vegetables and different types of cured meats. He especially likes to use a lot of garlic and that is probably one factor that makes his food very tasty!
A few weeks ago, we had some international friends over for a pot-luck meal and Gerard made a very typical appetizer called Pa amb tomàquet (Bread with tomato). It is a very simple recipe as it only calls for tomato, garlic, olive oil and bread but it is really flavorful and delicious. That is typically eaten with Jambon Serrano. Jambon Serrano is the Spanish version of Italian Procuitto.
This is a picture of Gerard on a snow shoeing expedition we went on in February. I will be sharing more about Gerard’s experiments in the kitchen!
GrubTrotting 
I cannot help leaving a reply, Nina. First, although I believe that “pa amb tomàquet” was originated in Catalonia (some people actually disagree and think that the recipe was brought by inmigrants from Murcia), you should have mentioned that it is typical of the Mediterranean diet (including my beloved Andalucian cuisine). Second, the statement “this region has been trying to secede from Spain for many generations”, in this form, ain’t true. Third, what the heck!!! How can you dare to say that Jambon Serrano is (just) the Spanish version of Italian Procuitto!!! It’s incomparable!!! A heavenly gift!!! C’est merveilleux!!! Un verdadero manjar divino…
“this region has been trying to secede from Spain for many generations”
… ain’t true?
Maybe we should remember that Catalonia was an independent kingdom until less than 300 years ago, when Castilla occupied it by force. Since then, and specially since the XX century, the catalan people have claimed for their right to rule their country and their culture. And many want to separate from the spanish state.
Catalonia as a country has NEVER expressed the wish of being part of Spain, but suffered the oppression of spanish dictators and kings that have tried to destroy their language and their culture.
That kind of reply does not even deserve more than 12 words.
I apologize for creating some controversy for some of my Spanish readers. I think that it’s obvious that people have different perspectives for the same set of circumstances. I thank you for commenting and I hope that this venue is a place where people can share their ideas in a respectful manner.
El català està molt orgullós amb la seva terra i la seva gastronomia, el pà amb tomàquet es una mostra d’aixó.
Great post Nina!! I’m happy that you are enjoying some of Spain’s great food! Big hug from Toronto! Eduardo