A Late Dinner: Discovering the Food of Spain

By Paul Richardson

Book Overview

Vivid and richly textured, A Late Dinner is a delightful journey through Spain and Spanish cuisine. Paul Richardson is the perfect guide. In lush prose he brings to life the fascinating people who grow and cook and eat the hugely varied and still little-known food of Spain.

Richardson's vibrant writing takes readers beyond gazpacho and paella and immerses them in the flavorful world of Spanish food -- from the typical coastal cuisine; to the ancient shepherd cooking of the mountains; to the cities of Madrid, Barcelona, and San Sebasti?n, where chefs are setting the trend for modern cuisine across the globe. His evocative descriptions -- the fried sh in C?diz; the tender asparagus and sweet crispy lettuce of Navarre; the Catalan cal?otada, a feast of grilled spring onions in a nutty, delicately spicy sauce; the whimsical creations of internationally acclaimed chef Ferran Adri? -- are a celebration of the senses.

Richardson traces the roots of Spanish cooking to the landscape, the people, and the history of this beautiful and complex country. A Late Dinner is a glorious and intimately drawn portrait of Spain.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743284941
• ISBN13: 9780743284943
• Release Date: September 2009
• Publisher: Scribner Book Company
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Eating your way through Spain

A Late Dinner is an entertaining culinary journey through Spain. The author writes in the first person, so you feel like you make the trip with him. I should state here that I read the book first from the library, then bought several copies to give as gifts plus one for myself. Then I gave that one away, so I had to buy another one for myself. This book is a must for lovers of Spanish cuisine, particularly if they are planning a trip to Spain. The author goes into exquisite detail about the history of the cuisine of each region as he travels around the country. He tells what foods each region is famous for and the best restaurants to enjoy it. The title refers to the Spanish custom of eating dinner at what would be considered a late hour to Americans.

not just food

I picked up Richardson's book intending to read only the chapter on Barcelona, in anticipation of a trip I plan to make, but once I got started, I had to read it all. This is a vividly written, big-hearted book, a book about not only the food, but also the landscape, history and culture of Spain. I loved it.