Those who follow my posts know that I am currently living in Spain, a country with both a deep-rooted, traditional cuisine along with a world-famous strain of innovative alta cocina. For me, I find them both fascinating and I am fairly saturated with information about the two. I am taking a class called Gastronomía, tradiciones culinarias y salud (Gastronomy, Culinary Traditions and Health) where we study both the traditional culinary legacies from the 5th century to present, as well as the contemporary cocina vanguardia of renown chefs such as Ferran Adriá. While one could easily contrast the two and reveal in what ways they are unique or access each one for it´s respective 'pros and cons', today I am more interested in looking at what they share in common. Where they overlap: shared experiences, conviviality. Additionally, in their best expressions, both cuisines possess an important consciousness about seasonality and responsible agroalimentary practices regarding both environmental and personal heath. However, today, I'm here to talk about the shared experience of dining. This can be summed up in my favorite of all Spanish words: sobremesa.
Sobremesa can literally mean desktop, however, the more accurate translation is table talk. It's a Spanish custom that leaks out of the house and into the restaurants and cafés, as well. Sobremesa refers to the time spent at the table, during and after dinner, where families and/or guests continue to enjoy the ambiance of dining pleasures while talking about anything: politics, fútbol, family, food, etc. This tradition is not unique to Spain and I have enjoyed many a sobremesa in France, Belgium, Italy...however, I love how omnipresent it is here in Spain where it has its own word, and, as it turns out, its own spot in the food pyramid.
One look below at the Pirámide de la Dieta Mediterránea is enough to demonstrate the role of conviviality in Spain. Enjoying a glass of wine and table talk is as integral and fundamental to a healthy lifestyle as exercise or eating locally and seasonally.
I think that this idea of shared gastronomic experiences is one of the key features that has made Europe so alluring to me ever since I spent my first year here studying. Friends and families gather daily, ready to spend hours together slowly eating and savoring every bite and moment. Clearly, these are the words of a foreigner who is idealizing a tradition that is not her own, however, my experiences prove that the sobremesa far more than just an image to export, but indeed a reality, rooted in tradition.
This concept of the “sobremesa” is something deeply rooted in our culture. Its typical to have a dinner ending well into the night. Not just eating and drinking but sharing stories and chatting. This is something really intermingled with our traditions. The "sobremesa" is the moment to share jokes and puns while sharing a meal and wine. It's a celebration and a way for sharing moments. Food and wine are only "excuses", shall we say, for being together.
ReplyDeleteThis probably comes from the arab influence. Remember that most of Spain (Except Asturias, this one goes for you Miguel) was during 700 years under arab influence and that culture has pervaded most aspects of spanish culture. Things like the arab practice of belching after a good meal are also deeply rooted in some parts of spain (OMG), and yes, I'm not kidding. In some parts of Spain, if you loudly belch after having eaten a copious meal everybody will laugh and will start competing with each other to make the loudest burp.
Even when doing bussiness, the "sobremesa" as McKenzie explains, is the critical moment when bussiness are held, maybe while eating a dessert or having a coffee. To do otherwise could be considered blunt or even overly aggressive. This is, for example, our view from you americans, that you always go to the point and are overly concerned with the final results and you are not patient enough to get to know the other during a meal. A meal is mostly a SOCIAL event.
The social aspect of the "sobremesa" is even worse in South America. Try to do bussiness like you Americans do with someone from Venezuela or Colombia. The first day or two are just to see if you get along well with your bussiness partner. And this "filtering" can only be done while during the "sobremesa". So if you do some bussiness with a south american just be patient and don’t talk serious bussiness until you are drinking the gin tonics.
Wine and food are important not by themselves but as a part of the social event that a meeting (for eating and drinking together) means.