There’s a real temptation when writing about the gastronomy of Spain and, in particular, that of southern Spain, to write about nothing more than fish. But the beauty of this Iberian country is that is has a remarkable variety of cuisines, from the rich, meaty dishes of the north and central areas, the rice-based recipes from the Valencia region, to the much lighter food of the south. In essence, Spanish gastronomy largely reflects the topography and climatic conditions of each area.And, of course, it is possible to munch to your heart’s content on regional dishes from any area, no matter where you happen to be, such is the diversity of restaurants which now exist throughout the length and breadth of the nation.

You want Austurian food in Marbella, no problem. You want paella Valenciana in Santiago, no problem and, if you want the Malaga speciality of pescaito frito (fried fish) in Madrid, equally no problem. Fish and shellfish naturally take centre stage when it comes to the gastronomy of the coastal area from Huelva right around to the Costa Blanca. A stroll through any fish market or large supermarket will demonstrate the wonderful variety available. Prawns from Huelva and the king prawns from the Sanlucar de Barrameda zone are of particularly excellent quality.

The waters off the Gulf of Cadiz are breeding grounds for such fish as sole, plaice turbot, sea bream and gilthead bream. Tuna fish have been plucked out of the Mediterranean since the year dot and are used in a whole manner of recipes. Cold gazpacho soup is a great staple of the summertime diet and is marvellously refreshing, as well as being quite filling, when all the bits and bobs have been added. This is, actually, not so surprising when you realise that one of the principal ingredients of gazpacho is bread.

Seville is renowned for its number and variety of ‘tapas’ bars. The legend of these tasty snacks has it that, back in the old days, bosses would send the office boy out to buy a cold sherry, wine or beer and, to keep it in perfect condition on the way back, would instruct the lad to ‘tapalo’ (cover it) with a slice of ham, or cheese. But then, you can find myriad other explanations, as well.You can get huevas (fish roe), pinchitos morunos (spicy kebabs of meat chunks), pavias de pescado (small fillets of marinated and deep fried fish), caracoles (tiny snails in a curry sauce) and the fantastic jamon iberico (thinly-sliced, cured ham), of which the best is the Jabugo type. And don’t forget to ask for a plate of olives, which come in a bewildering variety – buy and try is about the best advice.

Among the best-known recipes of Barcelona are the stews, such as la escudella i carn d’olla (vegetables, rice, noodle and potatoes), cocido con judias blancas (made with a typical regional sausage and butter beans) and pilota (beef, bread, eggs and white beans). Typical desserts are crema Catalana, mel i mato (curds and honey) and the postre del musico (pine-kernels and raisins). Salamanca is a beautiful University city to the north-west of Madrid, where the cuisine is heavily influenced by the nearby mountains and the cold winters. Roast suckling pig (cochinillo al fuego) is a real favourite, as is the roasted goat’s meat of the Sierra de Francia and the calderillo bejarano, a ragout of meat and potatoes, which is a speciality of the Sierra de Bejar.

The province is noted for a wide variety of products – among them the cured ham from Guijuelo, cheese from Hinojosa del Duero, and the famous almonds (Almendras de Santa Teresa) from Alba de Tormes.Madrid, like most European capital cities, offers food from all over the world and is a real gastronomic paradise. Dishes which carry the word ‘madrileño’ are, principally, hotpots, such as cocido madrileño, made with chick peas. The multitude of dishes made with lamb or veal is quite mind-boggling and many restaurant menus are pages and pages long. From just south of the city, at Aranjuez, comes succulent asparagus and the super-typical sopa de ajo which, as its name suggests, is a garlic-based soup.

Considering its geographic location, it is somewhat unusual for Madrid to be a haven for lovers of fish. Perhaps not so unusual when you consider that Madrid has the second-largest fish market in the world, ranking behind Tokyo. The variety and the quality is outstanding.Valencia means rice and its most famous gastronomic child, paella. But this is only one of the huge numbers of ways in which the staple crop is used to bolster other ingredients. Arroz de mariscos, with shellfish, arroz negro, made with squid and its ink, right the way round to arroz al horno, with a stock which can be derived from, for example, black pudding, tomato, potato, pork or, practically, whatever comes to hand. Paella is one of those dishes like chicken Marengo or Lancashire hotpot which, originally, were cobbled together amalgams of whatever was available and have now turned into national institutions. And, if we’re talking Valencia, we cannot fail to mention the oranges, the sweetest, the juiciest and the best in the whole of Spain.

Pretty well every country you can name takes pride in its national gastronomy and, in most cases, with at least some justification. Spain, however, is almost a case apart, in that its location, bordered on three of its four sides by either the Mediterranean or the Atlantic, and with a richly-varied topography, allows it to produce a cornucopia of gastronomic pleasures unrivalled by most. Its top chefs show flair and imagination in the preparation of dishes and, even in the humblest of villages and the smallest of local restaurants, the quality is difficult to match.