to think if you are only going away to Spain for a fortnight...

[squeakytoy]

you really do not need a "taste of home"...

Just reading the reviews for the place we are staying at next month.. (stayed in the resort before, but never this particular apartment complex) and I just love reading reviews...

"lovely place, but shame there was no british pubs close by"

well thank the lord for that!

"wicked holiday, found an amazing bar that did a full english and you could get a brill sunday roast for 5 euro wiv yorkshire pudding"

ffs its over 90 degrees out there.. why the hell do you want a bloody roast dinner???

When I go to Spain, I want to eat spanish food, enjoy spanish culture, and feel like I am on holiday.... is that asking too much?

I tend to avoid the main British tourist destinations. And the main German tourist destinations too. Bearing in mind that we tend to go to France or Italy, I like places where the French and Italians go. The food is better.

I went on a Disney Cruise with my brother and family, and our parents (they paid)!! My parents moaned it was noisy and full of kids!! They also ate 'off menu' every night! The food was wonderful with all different flavours!

But they wouldn't even try new things, how boring!!

Re the lack of vegetables - OH and I did a fly drive holiday in Andalucia several years ago and stayed in Paradors. I was amazed at the lack of vegetables with, in or before meals. The only ones we got were very salty and had obviously come out of a tin or a jar. When we got home I went to the local supermarket and found a fair number of fresh vegetables imported from... Spain!

Rockstock I have managed to get everything - Cola Cao, Licor 43 but never lomo. Am dreaming of a giant bocadillo with pan de tomate.

Bun I'm slightly at that. I live in Andalucia and have never had cause for complaint over lack of veg when eating out. I wonder perhaps in the campo they do things differently? Have spent time up in Granada, stopping enroute, Alora, Ronda, Ojen etc etc and tend to eat in Spanish local places with whatever's best at market on the menu that day. Lots of wonderful asparagus, broad beans, peppers etc. Jars of asparagus in particular are hugely popular out of season and really do taste as good as the fresh.

Everything here is at times annoyingly seasonal IYSWIM. Coming from London where I could get blueberries at 3am on Christmas morning if I so desired, it took some time to get used to the idea of seasonal shopping. For example - we can buy beautiful strawbs from around late November to mid-may (latest) at ?5 for 2kg. To buy 250g right now costs almost ?4.50 - simply because they are out of season.

KenDDD I love ColaCao! Well, now you can get as much lomo as you want!! If you're anywhere near London, I shall include you in my car load of Spanish goodies when we drive back next month if you like!

Oh thanks but I'm way up North in Sunderland!
I have lived and travelled a lot in Andalucia. Married in Nerja. Have always had plenty of veg, salad, chickpeas etc.

We eat at the mediterranean restaurants all the time, and fresh veg or salad are always on the plate. The salads are always great with loads of variety.

Fish is a fraction of the price that you would pay in a UK restaurant, and always very fresh.

This thread reminded me of a holiday to Cyprus - wall to wall chips - to this day I shudder at the memory of Prawns and chips on the local taverna menu.

The guy serving there had a wonderful disparaging way about him 'english?' 'chips'? he would ask and declare at the same time with complete disgust in his voice.

All of our party were at great pains to protest that no, chips was the very last thing we wanted.

It was a real struggle to get hold of any local food i remember :(

"I live in Andalucia and have never had cause for complaint over lack of veg when eating out."

It was 20 years ago and some of the Paradors we stayed in were in the middle of nowhere, so we didn't have a choice of restaurants. The food was really good and I didn't expect a British meat and two veg meal, but I remember being amazed at the lack of vegetables in some form or another.

Give me familiar food any day when abroad