A nightmare glocal discussion. What are the ingredients of Paella Valenciana?

Abstract

Paella Valencia is a world-famous dish, originally from the Spanish region of Valencia. This is a classic ‘Mediterranean cuisine’ recipe, in which rice is the basic ingredient. It has gone from being a humble dish for farmers to being an exemplar of social gastronomy, partying and celebration. Originally local, after the strong boost from Tourism in Spain, it has become one of the most prominent icons of our country. This global character has fuelled a heated discussion, widely reported in the international media, about the true recipe. This is indicated by the abundant global bibliography on the subject.After a quantitative investigation among non-professional chefs from the 266 towns in the province of Valencia, we found that 10 ingredients are repeated with a very high frequency and that we consider to be the basic ingredients. Fifty other ingredients were identified that are used occasionally, as a sign of the diversity and richness of the dish. This study is provided to offer guidelines to focus debate and social discussion on what the ingredients of a “true Paella Valenciana” should be.