A Fish Lover’s Paradise... Santa Pola

Health
The Mediterranean diet is recognized as one of the healthiest in the world, with research unanimously proving that those who follow the principles of this eating plan will not only learn to manage their weight but also have a decreased risk of heart disease, depression, certain types of cancer, Parkinson’s disease, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, a study involving more than 1.5 million healthy adults demonstrated that following a Mediterranean diet was associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular mortality as well as a decreased mortality rate overall. The people of Santa Pola offer a glowing example of these super healthy eating habits, relying on basic ingredients such as fruits, vegetables, fish, whole grains, and healthy fats like olive oil, as well as the odd glass of red wine to wash it all down nicely. What better reason could you need for relocating to this beautiful coastal town than to enjoy a healthier diet and lifestyle?! Obviously you do not have to be here to follow these diet choices, but it is certainly a great excuse if you need one!

Super Food
As one of Spain’s most significant fishing ports, you would not be wrong to assume that fish features prominently in Santa Pola’s gastronomy. In fact, “Peix de Santa Pola” is held in such high regard on a global scale that it has been granted a certificate of origin, as a symbol of its unique flavour and quality. It is also the ultimate super food, with oily varieties such as salmon, mackerel and sardines providing vital protection against cardiovascular disease, prostate cancer, age-related vision loss and dementia. Oily fish is a good source of vitamin D, protein, some B vitamins and selenium. It is also a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, a type of fat that helps to lower cholesterol levels and thin the blood to reduce the risk of clotting, as well as generally promoting good health and well being. All that said, the main reason why fish is so often enjoyed in homes and restaurants throughout Santa Pola is that it is known to be extremely juicy, favoursome and the local economy relies on it!

Fish And Seafood
When visiting Santa Pola it is difficult to avoid seeing or hearing of the fishermen’s comings and goings with their daily catch, which is then sorted and weighed ready for sale to the local shops and restaurants in the market place. This process is regarded with utmost respect by the locals, as a large percentage of men in particular from the town are employed in the industry in some way, and those who are not generally have friends or relatives who are! The majority of fish and seafood that is brought into Santa Pola fish-market is fresh and first-class. However it is advisable to look for products that are classified as “seasonal product” as these are guaranteed for optimum consumption and the best value for money. The most representative species that arrive at the port of Santa Pola are: red-mullet, young hake, small cod fish, red king prawns, white prawns, prawns, crayfish, octopus, squid, cuttlefish, potas, crab, mantis-shrimp, sardine, anchovy, conger eel, bonito from the south, sea bream, sword fish, mackerel, horse mackerel, soft roe, gilthead bream and monkfish amongst many others. As it is so cheap and easy to buy here, fish is rarely frozen but instead purchased daily to be prepared in a multitude of ways such as pickled in brine, soaked in oil, marinated in tomato, baked in the oven, fried; or served in a variety of pasta or rice dishes. The most popular fish only dishes include “Dorada” (gilt head), “Lubina” (sea bass) and “Lechola” (whiting) plus a wide range of fried fish. “Quisquilla hervida” which is boiled shrimp, “cigalas” or crayfish and ‘”blanquillo de rape” or monkfish in a white sauce are all extremely popular choices; as are “gamba roja a la plancha” or red prawns cooked on the hot plate, and oysters farmed from the bay.

Meat And Stew
Santa Pola cuisine is not only limited to fruits of the sea, as it also has a number of excellent meat dishes to offer. Pork is one of the preferred choices, and often served grilled as chops or for those with a big appetite, as a hefty roasted knuckle. A variety of cured hams and spiced local sausages often form the basis of a light meal or snack, and are usually teamed with a good helping of crusty bread and cheese… and plenty of red wine! Other local specialties which are highly recommended include leg of lamb; and rabbit cooked in garlic and tomato. The stews from Santa Pola are so delicious that they deserve a special mention here, and use only the finest local catch of red prawns, shrimps or salted fish, combined in a rice dish which has a similar appearance to paella. Recipes such as “Caldero de gallina” which is a rockfish and vegetable stew, “Arrós i Gatet” combining rice with lesser spotted dogfish, “Guisado de sepia” or cuttle-fish stew, and “Gazpachos de mero”, a stew made with the grouper fish are great examples of the foods typically enjoyed here throughout the winter.

Rice Specialties
Rice dishes encompass a significant chapter in the local cookery books, and ALIS has been advised by a very good source that there are in fact over 300 Spanish receipes that use rice as their primary ingredient! Like other towns across the region, Paella Valenciana, combining rice, chicken, seafood, green beans, olive oil, saffron and seasoning, is a firm favourite in most households and the chef’s specialty in all good restaurants. Caldero, a kind of fish stew with rice, is another one of the signature dishes which cannot fail to impress anyone visiting Santa Pola. Others which you should expect to come across in traditional eateries across the town include “Arroz a banda”, where the rice is slowly cooked in fish stock, with a little fish, peppers and garlic. The secret to this dish is in good quality rice and freshly made stock, and if cooked properly some will argue that it is a tastier alternative to paella. In fact, if you asked a bar full of locals, which was their preferred choice, you could quickly start a heated debate over the contentious topic! “Arroz al horno” (oven-baked rice), “Arroz negro” (black rice with squid in inky sauce), “Arroz y costra (rice cooked with sausage and beaten eggs then baked in the oven), “Arroz y serranas” (rice with snails) and “Arros amb fesols i naps” which combines a moist rice with mixed beans and turnips, and “Arroz Marinera” are all popular rice based recipes. Locals will also serve their own take on the creamy Italian rice dish, risotto, to which restaurants will usually add mushrooms for a simple, yet tasty vegetarian option.

Appetizers And Desserts
Starters and desserts are not generally served as part of a normal meal at home, although might be added to the menu on a special occasion or when entertaining guests. Typical appetizers which you might expect to find on the menu in the local bars and restaurants include “salazones de pescado” which is dried salted fish; “la hueva” or fish roe; or “mojama” which is salted tuna. “Empanadas” which are bite sized pasties with fillings of tuna, vegetables or cheese and tomato, and often served with a dip; and “coca de sardinas” which is a kind of open sardine tart, are also popular starter choices. Finally, for those who like to end their meal with something sweet, Santa Pola has a wide selection of mouthwatering desserts to offer. Spaniards are known to be particularly fond of anything very sweet and sickly, so be warned, your teeth will be screaming afterwards! Home-made cakes and pastries, such as “hojaldres de cabello de angel”, which is a light puff pastry with chopped almonds and icing sugar; “rollitos” or sweetened pastry rolls; and “coca boba” which is a light sponge cake flavoured with almonds or lemon, are a few of the options which you might encounter. Fresh fruits and “granizados” or crushed ice fruit drinks are a refreshing alternative to the sticky treats that Spaniards like to round off a meal, not forgetting the essential “blanco y negro” made with iced-coffee and lashings of vanilla ice-cream. Indeed, the mild climate means that ice cream is not just reserved as an occasional treat on a sunny day, and even during the winter months you will find that the town’s two most famous Icecream Parlours, “Heladeria Dolce Neve” and “Jijonenca Boulevard Santa Pola” are absolutely packed with customers by day and night. I have yet to work my way through all of the divine flavours that they have to offer, but if they taste as good as they look then you are in for a real treat whichever one you go for!