Learning to Make Paella

 

Written by Hayes

Last week, we got to go to paella making class. Before the class, I was feeling really excited because I had never made paella before, and I LOVE paella. I like paella because the blend of meat and rice is AMAZING. I first tried paella about 3 years ago when we went to Malaga. 

We met the rest of the class on the steps of a church. After that, we went to the market to get the supplies. The market was pretty crowded, and there were a lot of food stalls. There were fish, pig legs, vegetables and fruit. My favorite part was the seafood section because I love seafood. I saw fish, crabs, lobsters, and squid. (My mom HATED it.)

There are many different types of paella, such as octopus, lamb, and shrimp. Originally, paella was a peasant dish. The rise of tourism in Spain is what made it famous worldwide. When the Moors arrived in Spain in the 8th century, they brought rice with them. This is how paella came about. Paella was prepared for peasants and farmers as an outdoor lunch. Paella is traditionally made over an open fire on a large pan. Valencia is known for Valencian paella, which is made with chicken, lamb, and rabbit.

For our class, we decided to make seafood paella. We chose seafood paella because I like seafood more.  At the market, we got cuttlefish, shrimp and prawns to put in our paella. We used a giant pan called a paella to cook our paella. The first thing I noticed was how BIG the paella pans are. The pan has a diameter of about 2 and a half feet. 

Our paella making class was really fun. We had tapas, AKA appetizers, and they were really good. Our teachers were really nice, too. I honestly think the paella we made is way better than any other paella we’ve eaten. (No offense, restaurants.) Now, I feel like an expert on eating paella.