El Almuerzo and Spanish Food Culture

For me, every time I have thought about spanish food in the past it has been along the lines of the largest Spanish meal of the day, el almuerzo. Like other students might remember, illustrations of el almuerzo that I saw as a high school student in my spanish text books seem vivid in my memory now, and were preconceptions I took with me before arriving to Spain. The image of Spanish families and friends set amongst a full table of breads, rices, fish, salads y much more talking in the home, or sitting and dining leisurely in la playa has remained in my memory and today, this is still how I think of Spanish food: long conversations and diverse and large food plates that is the result of the combination of both Spanish food and social cultures.