Spain’s paella given protected status
Remember the time Jamie Oliver kicked up a storm after he insisted that chorizo could be added to paella, the famed Spanish rice dish?
With its newfound protected cultural status, Spaniards, and all other paella lovers, can now rest easy in the knowledge that the dish’s original recipe will live on, shielded (sort of) from monstrous suggestions such as Oliver’s and others in the future.
In an eight-page announcement published Tuesday, the government of Valencia, the birthplace of paella, declared the dish an item of cultural significance.
“Paella is an icon of the Mediterranean diet, because of both its ingredients and its characteristics as a representation of Valencian culture,” the announcement reads.
“All the ingredients used in its preparation — such as fish, meat, vegetables, the justly famous and healthy olive oil and the complete grain that is rice — are part of the Mediterranean diet.”
The new status, it said, would not only promote study and research into the dish, but also ensure its ‘survival’ within future generations.
The announcement comes with a list of do’s and don’ts for culinary fans, eager to make the dish according to tradition, but mostly to prevent “distortions that could result from mass tourism.”
Which means if you want traditional paella, religiously avoid any trips and tricks offered by celebrity chefs Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay, who have both encouraged adding chicken and chorizo to the dish.
And definitely pay no attention to the robotic paella maker released earlier this year by robot company br5 (Be a Robot 5) and the paella stove manufacturer Mimcook.
The meal is a “symbol of Sunday family lunch,” the government stated. “(It) represents a feeling of identity and continuity that we need to protect, maintain, and pass on.” It also recalled how the dish was developed over the course of several centuries after the Arabs brought rice to Spain and the saffron trade began to flourish.
“The first reference to paella — or ‘Valencian rice’ — is to be found in an 18th-century recipe manuscript, which explains how it should be prepared and notes that the rice should end up dry,” the government explains.
The dish has evolved over centuries.
If you want some starting tips and tricks for concocting the perfect paella, look no further: Make sure your fire isn’t too smoky, the announcement advised, and if cooking on an indoor stove, ensure that the heat is distributed evenly to cook the dish.
The cardinal rule of paella: Never stir the rice while it cooks. Stirring will force the rice to release too much starch and, as a result, you may end up with a sticky paella.