When I first came to Spain, in 2004, it was a cheap country by most standards. In some ways, it still is, but one of the most notable shifts over the past 5+ years has been a dramatic rise in the cost of eating out. I remember visiting a bodega restaurant in Valdevimbre, Leon in 2006. The bodegas in Valdevimbre are famous all over the province – good, rustic, home cooked food served in unique caves carved into the hillside. And they used to be great value for money too. We paid €26 for lunch for three of us, including a whole tortilla guisada (stewed Spanish omelette), grilled wild mushrooms, lamb chops, bread, wine, desserts and coffees. I remember being so struck by the price that I kept the receipt to show people.
If cultural observation is one of my favourite sports, then there is no better arena than the dining table.
Travellers' tales are full of eating-related anecdotes. How many times have you heard the story about the visitor who offended his or her host by burping, or not burping, by putting his or her elbows on the table, by arranging cutlery in a cross rather than parallel - the list goes on and the potential pitfalls for the culturally ignorant diner are numerous.
Eating in Spain, as you can imagine, is steeped in tradition, culture, habit and simple everyday repetition. Even so, the possibilities for causing offence are probably less prominent here in Spain than in other, more sensitive, cultures (unless you should dare start eating before everyone has their food - that's a big faux pas).
So, rather than an etiquette guide, this is more like a list of observations of the Spanish in their natural habitat - enjoying a good meal with friends and family. They are small, mostly completely insignificant details - points I've picked up on over the years as an Englishman living in Spain. If you're sensitive to national stereotyping and stuff like that, perhaps don't read on - this is lighthearted stuff, meant for a laugh and a bit of discussion. Nothing more.