There are certain elements of Catalan cuisine that speak to who we are and where we come from, and pa amb tomàquet says it all.

Like so many other dishes found around the world, bacallà a la llauna takes its name from the cookware it’s prepared in: in this case

Catalan cuisine has managed to transform pungent, humble meats with bad reputations—such as skirt steak and brisket—into stews that continue to make their mark by combining hours of slow cooking, a splash of wine, the aroma of spices, and a lovely picada to boot.

Exactly when this treat emerged in Catalonia remains unknown, but the Catalan- language’s great fourteenth-century recipe book.

The word xató describes a salad made with frisée greens dressed in a romesco-like winter sauce that’s made with dried, locally-sourced ingredients.

The rice draws its name from the onion’s rich, near-black color, which stems from the onion’s lengthy sofregit.

By their name alone, these sweet slices of bread allude to their religious origins—the monastery.

Escalivada remains one of Catalonia’s oldest culinary techniques.

This is especially the case on Thanksgiving, when people across the country eat stuffed turkey.