The After Paella

Paella, due to its uniqueness as a dish, but also as a Ritual, means that the experience does not end once the last dinner places the last grain of rice in their mouth.

Paella, as we have said, is a great symbol, very representative of the way of embodying the value that gastronomy has for Spanish people. Because this is not just about eating. It is mainly about having a good time, celebrating, with friends and family, sharing.

For this reason, when the Paella is finished, it happens to us the same as when we go out at night and have had the first drinks after dinner: basically, the party for us has just started. And it is that with the Spanish, you know when and how things begin, but never how or when they end.

At the end of the dish, normally at lunchtime as it is an intense dish, the ritual normally continues in 3 ways, which are not only not exclusive but the opposite, they are fully compatible and that extend and amplify the Paella experience yet. But it does.

La Siesta

The first way to celebrate the Fiesta de la Paella, and one of the great inventions that Spain has brought to humanity, is none other than the world famous “Siesta“. That nap (care that can be extended for hours) after the meal to rest digestion, rest, and face the second part of the day with much more joy and energy.

As it is mostly a celebration reserved for weekends, there is no more natural reaction than to indulge in the pleasures of typical Spanish rice: that of lying down and closing our eyes to let the body enjoy a magical digestion after having given ourselves a whole tribute of enjoyment and fun.

And we must not forget that Paella is a dish that despite the lightness of its ingredients, is a loaded dish and whose main ingredient, rice, is pure hydrate, which means that as such it requires that the body devote good energy to digest while calming our nervous system by delivering that good dose of glucose to the brain.

So, there is nothing like eating a good binge and relaxing in a hammock or sofa to the sound of nature, or our friends and family enjoying the pool, to enjoy one of the best combinations in history and 100% Made in Spain: that of Paella and Siesta.

La Sobremesa (the After Lunch)

Another of the great Spanish moments, more iconic, and that the rest of the world finds it difficult to understand is that of the “Sobremesa”. But what is it exactly? And it is difficult to explain.

As we have said, for the Spanish, good food is everything. It is the epicenter of our social life and on which everything revolves. The best reason to get together and spend a whole day of celebration and celebration.

For this reason, when you finish eating in Spain, you will see that it is normal for no one to move from the table … for a few hours. Because it is time for stories and anecdotes, jokes and jokes, to spend the afternoon in company.

Depending on personal preferences, there are several options to accompany this moment: the healthiest ones are usually based on coffee, sweets and ice cream, but also a good drink to digest the food and relax the spirit. The important thing is that each one chooses their preferred ally to endure those next few hours, because no one moves from the table.

Time for stories, jokes, and if there is an artist among us, he takes out the guitar, plays music, sing and dance. And be careful, because it is not uncommon for it to end up with dinner.

Card Games

The other great way to continue with the Paella Ritual is none other than through good card games.

Because we Spaniards love card games. So much so, that we have our own deck, with a whole series of unique games and mostly, for a change, social. Because this is about enjoying the company of others, and that is why a large part of Spanish games are played as a couple.

And it is that on a good mat the hours are spent among friends, or among relatives, since a good game allows us to enjoy a good time, for example, with grandparents with grandchildren.

Although we not only like cards, since we have other very Spanish and traditional board games, such as Parchís or La Oca (Game of the Goose), and are totally addictive, with which to spend the whole afternoon sitting at the table.

The Great Combo

As we have pointed out, the true art, if one wants to get the most out of a day of Paella, and thus have the complete experience, is by combining the 3:

A good nap to rest, a good coffee to recharge, a game of cards accompanied by a good drink while we tell stories and jokes, to end up singing and dancing around the table.

Because that is the authentic Paella experience.