I had tried paella before, but not in Spain where it was born (paella actually originates from Valencia, a city on the Mediterranean coast, two hours from Madrid).
One dish that I tried for the first time was black paella, called arrós negre or squid ink paella. It did not look appetizing at all. However...verdict: black paella triumphed over the common paella!
I have also tried the following foods, to name a few): calamari baguette, croquettes or little fried savory cakes that come in all types such as bacalao (cod fish), ham and cheese, pisto (Spanish ratatouille), Spanish omelets and octopus. There are also a lot of cured meats: jamón serrano, chorizo. At most bars, you'll find a leg of ham chillin' on the top of the counter. Actually, Spain produces 40 million hams per year!
Let's not forget about desserts. People here have a passion for churros and porras, donut sticks which they dip in a cup of hot chocolate or melted chocolate. On most street corners, you can find a stand selling these treats for about 1 euro apiece. At the café where I usually drink coffee and eat toast for breakfast, they sell one churro for 35 centimos (Can you figure out what the equivalent price in USD would be?). All sorts of pastries are also available. Like I said before, people in Spain love their bread and sweets!
