Paella: Spanish Pleasure in a Pan

　　It’s a sunny afternoon in the Mediterranean city of Valencia, Spain. Friendly Spaniards smile and wave as you stroll by. Suddenly, a rich, delicious smell fills your nostrils. Up ahead, an excited group of locals is standing around a large, round pan of food that’s cooking over a fire. “Paella”--　the word rolls off your tongue as your mouth starts to water.

　　Valencia’s paella is famous, but most Spanish provinces have their own versions of this traditional dish. Paella’s ingredients include rice, olive oil, roasted rabbit, chicken, shrimp, red and green peppers, onions, and plenty of garlic. But the key ingredient is saffron, an exotic, fragrant spice that gives paella its rich flavor and orange-yellow color.

　　The word “paella” comes from patella, which is Latin for “pan.” A paella pan is round, shallow, and flat, and has two large handles. It’s usually made of iron. To prepare an authentic paella, a good paella pan and a hot wood fire are essential.

　　譯文：

　　一個晴朗的午后，你正漫步于西班牙地中海沿岸的瓦倫西亞市，友善的西班牙人臉上掛著微笑，朝著你揮揮手。突然間，一股濃郁的香味撲鼻而來。就在正前方，一群當地人興奮地圍繞著以大圓鍋盛裝的食物，它正在柴火上烹煮著。你的口水直流，不假思索便從嘴里蹦出“西班牙海鮮飯”這幾個字。

　　瓦倫西亞的海鮮飯遠近馳名，但這道傳統佳饈在西班牙各省多有各自的做法。海鮮飯的材料包括米、橄欖油、烤兔肉、雞肉、蝦子、紅椒、青椒、洋蔥以及大量的蒜頭，但最關鍵的材料則為番紅花。番紅花是一種外來的香料，使得海鮮飯散發濃郁的香味并呈現橙黃的色澤。

　　Paella這個字源于拉丁文的patella(即“鍋子”)。海鮮飯鍋是圓而淺的平底鍋，兩邊裝有大把手，通常是鐵制的。要作出道地的海鮮飯，一把好的鍋子以及燃燒旺盛的柴火是不可或缺的。

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