The Iberian Peninsula has a rich and varied culinary tradition - from the noodle paellas of Catalonia and the spice cakes of Tras-Os-Montes, to the saffron-rice dishes of Valencia and the elegant blancmanges of Coimbra, it is a cuisine that ranks among the world's finest. In the Food of Spain and Portugal, Elisabeth Luard is an expert guide, taking you through 21 regions and introducing over 200 recipes that all make a virtue of simplicity and let the ingredients speak for themselves. It is this regional cuisine that has inspired a new generation of restaurant chefs, spearheaded by Ferran Adria at El Bulli and placed the area firmly on the foodie map with dishes flexible enough to accommodate new ideas and win acclaim in the sophisticated kitchens of Lisbon, Madrid and Barcelona, but which, however inventive, always reference their traditional roots. Combining stunning food images by Jean Cazals with location photography and fine art (Goya, Velazquez, Murillo), The Food of Spain and Portugal is as irresistible to the armchair traveller as to the cook eager to know the story behind the dishes.