The Tortilla de Patatas

[Jason Perlow]

The Spanish tortilla has been the subject of a thread here in the Spain board. Click for link to the tortilla thread. Do you have any comments to add to the thread? To me this form of omelet defines the Pyrenees as a border. I rarely see it north of the Pyrenees.

Thanks Maria for participating in the Q&A!

[Marina Chang]

The recipe and cooking advice from eGullet members in the tortilla thread seem very complete. I also favor using Yukon Gold potatoes, and I like diced chorizo in my version of the tortilla.

I would agree that it is sometimes nearly impossible to replicate the exact taste and texture of a dish experienced in another country, due to the differences in the ingredients, how we treat them, and the ”terroir” from which they came. I have found that Spanish or French preparations made with dairy products tend to be the most difficult to duplicate here in the U.S. In the tortilla thread, there were two comments about a French and Spanish preference for unrefrigerated eggs. I would add that a freshly laid egg which has never been refrigerated tastes world’s better than a refrigerated store-bought one. The variety of potato and even the earth it is planted in can make a difference in the texture and taste. A few years ago, during a stop in Santillana del Mar, I had the best glass of milk that I have ever tasted. It was rich, nutty and almost malt-like. When we returned home, I tried all types of organic, whole, milk and nothing was even remotely close. The milk was likely unpasteurized, the dairy cows may have been a higher butterfat content breed not commonly used in the U.S., and they may have been fed on vegetation varieties that our cows don’t eat.

- Marina.