Book excerpt: Spanish food culture has evolved around strong regional cuisines and representative elements. This volume offers an overview of Spanish food and eating habits, taking into account a long and complex history, plus distinctive social, cultural, linguistic, geographic, political, and economic characteristics. Spain's location at the crossroads of Europe and North Africa has made it a gastronomic melting pot, with Arab influences and New World ingredients particularly noted. Readers will learn about the unique food culture in each region and how food practices and dishes in the Iberian Peninsula have developed over the centuries. Typical dishes and drinks, especially the Spanish wines, are described in context, with many accompanying recipes. Gastronomy in Spain has always been of utmost importance. Recently, the new Spanish gastronomy has taken center stage with internationally recognized chefs. Spaniards are shown to be extremely social eaters and drinkers who like to eat out. The everyday routine of eating out, such as at work and school, is clarified as well. Home cooking and the Spanish kitchen get special attention. Finally, although Spanish food has always been associated with the highly touted Mediterranean diet, health concerns about current eating trends are discussed. A timeline, a chronology, and illustrations round out the coverage.