Spain has two, vast coastlines, thanks to which fresh seafood is available throughout the country, not only in the seaside areas. Wide and diverse offer of the fish market guarantees a high consumption of fish and seafood in the country. A direct contact with the sea causes Spain to pride itself on numerous recipes for fish and seafood.
Traditionally the Spanish menu includes fish dishes regardless of whether it is a seaside region or not. The most frequently used fish in nearly all of the regional cuisines is cod which can be served in many different ways. Another popular fish is tuna, usually served fresh, although tinned tuna appears more and more often. In the north of the country, in Cantabria region, hake is very popular and it is prepared according to different recipes. Anchois are usually marinated in vinegar and olive oil with large quantities of garlic and parsley and they are usually served as a snack. Sardines are also small fish which are quite often eaten all over Spain. There are a lot of ways to prepare these fish but the most popular one is to grill them. Trout, which lives in rivers is an easily accessible fish all over the country. It is distinguished by the pink colour of the meat also called "salmon". Among seafood the most popular are mussels, lobsters, scampi, prawns, calamari and different crab species.
