The Paella Values: Celebration, Family and Sharing

The most remarkable of all its attributes is that the food is shared at the same time, no one starts before anyone else.

Everyone waits for the Chef to present the food, puts the Paella on the table, and from there we pass our plates until the Chef himself serves the food, and it returns hand in hand to us.

“That is, it takes everything and everyone to be present and collaborating, or if not, then you are not enjoying the true beauty of Paella.”

It’s about enjoying the moment

Because in times of anxiety, and smartphones addiction, Paella is all about being present, being in the moment.

And it is that there are very very few occasions, unless you are a yogi, in which we are truly present and even more so today with the crazy, stressful life agendas that we carry.

For this reason, when we sit around a Paella, we are surrendering ourselves to the moment, with all our presence, to enjoy others, the food that allows us to enjoy that moment, and in essence, ourselves.

And as we mentioned, it’s about having fun. It is through the exploration of the dyonisian aspect of life, through the delight of the senses, that we can enjoy this wonderful experience.

Imagine how many bonds have been tightened, or how many personal problemas have been forgiven, just because we were able to share such a wonderful time together.

That is why, above all, Paella is an act of Love, which is manifested by celebrating with Family and Friends sharing the ingredients of the land.

In order to fully understand the Paella ritual, let’s explore the dynamics and sequence of it, and what are the most beneficial and characteristic aspects of Spain’s most representative dish.

It’s About Having Fun

But even though we’ve gotten into great detail about the greatness of Paella, on how as a Ritual it is an amazing one, in the end, the secret is pretty simple.

Because above all, Paella is ultimately about one thing and one thing only: having fun.

It doesn’t matter the recipes, the rice, the dynamics, whatever you do, if in the end all the participants don’t have fun.

Because all the joy Paella brings must come to that final conclusion, which is creating a memorable time.

We measure Paella by the memories and anecdotes they bring to us, by the great conversations, and obviously, the great photographs. But mostly, we measure Paella by the number of smiles and laughter that it brings to our lives. 

So, while it is amazing to understand its full beauty, in case of doubt, remember to focus on one thing: truly having a great time.

Why Paella is Representative of the Best of Spain

We have just described the benefits or particular singularities of Paella. But at the end of the day, it is still a typical dish of Spain, and therefore, representative of its best qualities.

Actually, in Spain, to live a great life has a very particular expression: La Vidorra.

It’s the equivalent to the Dolce Vita in Italy, but in our case Living la Vidorra is about great quality time with friends and family, and great moments amplified by great products or meals like Paella, if possible, in beautiful locations.

Because, Viva la Vidorra!

Therefore, let us boast of why we think represents the best of our country:

Everything revolves around the Table 

Because if something is fundamental in Spain, that is food. The truth is that everything revolves around gastronomy. Everything.

There are no family, friendship or business relationships that are not built around food.

For us, good food is a way of life, and therefore, there is no good food if there are no quality ingredients that honor our land and our people. And the time spent on meals and dinners is huge, because they are not only about the food itself.

It is about being with one another, bringing together the elders and the youngest, remembering the stories, sharing the funniest moments, and giving our love for the hard ones, and most of all, celebrating that we are all in this together.

The Spanish Way of Life 

Because in addition to our passion for food, we love spending our time with our family and friends. Here we are very much like “gangs”, the groups of our whole life, with whom we share our best moments.

Because we love to keep our groups from when we were kids, regardless of the new friends we make in life. But in any case, the best way to deepen those bonds is for sure around a good meal. And if possible, and given our great climate, outdoors.

The laughter and natural approach to celebration 

If there is one trait that we can say about the Spanish, it is that we like to take everything with a sense of humor and knowing how to live.

While other countries may be more sophisticated or innovative, we like the simple but good, without much fanfare, natural and authentic. Telling jokes, making fun about everything, and even dancing if that is the case! 

Compartir es Vivir 

A Spanish popular expression that means “Sharing is Living”. You have surely heard of Tapas. And do you know why they are so famous? Because they are going to share.

A plate in the middle for everyone to enjoy. In Spain we love ordering several dishes, and everybody tasting all of them, instead of each one going his own way. So from a young age, we learn to share, and to enjoy multiple options that we would never have asked for.

And Paella is a true reflection of this mentality.

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