06/19/2017
What is Paella?
Although it seems to be a simple, comforting dish, Paella is actually much more than that. It is said that the first Paella was created by a poor man in love with a beautiful young woman. The Spanish court of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella was famous for its lavish parties, which were attended by the most powerful lords and ladies of the land. The food was extravagant and expertly prepared to the delight of all who attended. After one such party, a simple servant asked the King and Queen if he could have the food that remained. He loved a woman, he explained, but had nothing to offer her. The King and Queen, moved by the man’s heart, gave him the exotic meats, fowl, rice, and spices that had not been eaten by their lordly guests. The servant took the food home, cooked it all together, and presented it to his love as a gift. The dish, was “para ella”, Spanish for “for her.” That is the dish we call Paella today. Did the servant’s love return his affection? Try a bite of this hearty dish and you can decide!