Murcia is well known for its excellent cuisine with sea food from the Mar Menor and delicious local vegetable produce from its market gardens (huerta) of the Río Segura where they grow an amazing assortment of vegetables and fruit including artichokes, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, oranges, melons and lemons! Murcia is also famous for its rice originated in Calasparra known as ‘bomba’ which is famous world wide; Murcian sausage, fruits and local confectionery, which tends to be very sweet.
The Spanish make the mid–day meal their biggest, with restaurants generally opening from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and then their evening meal is late, anytime from 9 p.m. to midnight.
You will often find ‘Menu del Día’ in the local restaurants, this is a fixed price meal however there is usually a choice of starters, main and desert. The price generally includes bread, salad, a drink and coffee and are very good value.
Wine is an important part of the Murcian meal and there are three well established wine producers in the region of Murcia, Jumilla, Bullas and Yecla. Jumilla is located in the north eastern area of Murcia and the vineyards are found high up in the mountains, at the foot of its 15th century castle. To the north of Jumilla, you will find Yecla which produces spectacular well priced wine.Bullas, located in the western area of Murcia has produced some of the oldest wine in Spain with Monastell being the most popular.
Local specialities in Murcia include:
Ensalada Murciana – salad of tomatoes, tuna and egg
Zagangollo – scrambled eggs with zucchini and onion
Magra con Tomate – stewed pork in a tomato and green pepper sauce
Caldero del Mar Menor – fish and seafood rice stew
Huevas de mújol – variant of caviar
Habas con jamón – ham and broad beans
Arroz y conejo – rice with rabbit
Jabalí – dish of wild boar
Pan de Calatrava – Spanish break pudding
Buen provecho! (enjoy your meal!)
