Galician cuisine refers to the typical dishes and ingredients found in the cuisine of the Galicia region of Spain. These include shellfish, empanadas, polbo á feira (a dish made of octopus), the cheese queixo de tetilla, the ribeiro and albariño wines and orujo liquor.
Compared to the wide variety of foods in the cuisines of France and India, for example, Galician cuisine could be considered to be fairly simple. The potato is the main dish, first arriving in Spain from the Americas in the 1500s, and then grown first and foremost on the coasts of the Ría de Noia. In Galician cuisine, neither the cook or the recipe really matters; what is being served is the central part of the cuisine.
In Galicia, a wide variety of sea produce can be found in traditional dishes, due to the province's long shoreline and traditional fishing economy. Agriculture products such as potatoes, maize and wheat are also a staple in the Galician diet, along with dairy and meat products from animals such as cows, sheep and pigs; Galicia's grasses and shrubs are green year-round and are excellent for grazing.
Due to the history of a weak economy, little industry and overall a less than prominent position in Spanish politics and culture, the development of a Galician "haute cuisine" has been slowed until recently, with chefs such as Toñi Vicente gaining national attention only since the 80's.
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