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Facts & tidbits on
Arroz Con Pollo
Also visit two more
Arroz Con Pollo pages
 Are Arroz Con Pollo
and Paella a la Valenciana
the same dish?
That used to be case. Until the mid-20th century, the terms Paella a la Valenciana and Arroz Con Pollo were interchangeable. They defined a
straightforward rice-and-chicken paella.
Then, chefs in restaurants from Madrid to New York began making
Paella a la Valenciana outlandishly complex.
They incorporated into it everything in their larder: chicken, fish, lobster,
shrimp, clams, mussels, what have you.
What type do most
Valencians eat?
The hyped-up version of Paella a la Valenciana is seldom eaten by
most Valencianos. They may now add a couple meat or seafood ingredients to the
dish, but not a bunch of them.
Nowadays, the traditional version (Arroz Con Pollo) is more popular among
rural than urban residents. It's also widely popular in Latin America.
Does the star
ingredient differ regionally?
Along the
region's balmy Mediterranean coast, the star ingredient is most apt to be shellfish, perhaps mussels or shrimp.
Inland, where the littoral plain gives way
to foothills and mountains, the cook's first choice is generally chicken. And, if
that is the case, the dish is usually called Arroz Con Pollo rather than paella.
Which is better,
a peasant Arroz Con Pollo
or a restaurant
Paella a la Valenciana?
A well-made, peasant-style Arroz Con Pollo is
infinitely superior to the run-of-the-mill restaurant style Paella a la Valenciana and is just as delicious as a great one. It's also quicker, easier,
and less expensive to prepare.
Is rice a major
crop in Valencia?
Rice (the foundation of any paella or Arroz Con Pollo) is extensively grown. This cereal grain was introduced to the Spanish
Mediterranean coast two thousand years ago by Middle Eastern traders.
What about
the orange?
These
Middle Eastern seafarers also brought with them what would turn out to be Valencia's most
famous product, the orange. "On nights when orange blossoms open, the
countryside is filled with a heady fragrance," the daughter of a Valencian
farmer told me. "It's the aphrodisiac of Valencia."
Other Arroz Con Pollo
pages to explore
 
 
  
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