COOKERY COURSE

Teacher: Good morning, David.You: Good morning, teacher.Teacher: Your classmates and I would like to know what you eat in your country.You: Well, we eat almost all kinds of food: fish, meat, vegetables, and pulses.Teacher: And which are the most popular dishes?You: Oh, we have many popular dishes in my country. One of the most popular ones is paella, but we also have gazpacho, which is cold tomato soup, and cocido, a stew that is typical of Madrid.Teacher: And what ingredients do you need to prepare paella?You: The main ingredient is rice, which is seasoned with saffron, and then you add seafood, such as clams, mussels, and prawns, but also fish and meat, mainly rabbit meat, and vegetables, such as broad beans.Teacher: What kind of food do you like?You: Well, it’s hard to say. Some days I feel like eating veal or chicken, and others I have a craving for asparagus and artichokes. But my favourite dish is the Spanish omelette. It’s very tasty!Teacher: Can you tell us how to prepare your favourite dish?You: Yes, of course! You need potatoes, eggs, oil, and salt. Some people add onions and chorizo, which is a kind of sausage, but I prefer mine plain. First you peel and dice the potatoes, and then you beat the eggs with a pinch of salt. You have to put some oil in a frying pan...Teacher: Olive oil?You: Yes, preferably. You can put a clove of garlic in the pan just so you know when the oil is warm enough to add the chips, and when the chips are tender, not fried, mind you, just soft and tender, you add the eggs.Teacher: How many eggs?You: Well that depends on the size of the omelette you’re making. I’d say three to six large eggs. When the bottom is nice and golden you have to cover the pan with a dish and—this is the most difficult part—you have to turn the pan upside down so that the omelette falls on the plate and you can turn the omelette over. Be careful not to burn your hands with the hot oil! Then, once the other side is golden brown, you turn off the burner in your cooker and serve it with some slices of nice white bread. We eat a lot of bread in Spain!Teacher: Sounds delicious! Now, David, tell me what food you dislike.You: That would be pork. I can’t stand the sight and smell of it. Oh, and cauliflower.Teacher: Cauliflower?You: Yes, cauliflower. It’s disgusting. Cauliflower tastes awful and smells even worse.Teacher: I see. Are there any foreign dishes that you like, David?You: I like Italian food, pasta in general, and pizza, too.Teacher: Do people often eat out in your country?You: Oh, yes they do. Eating in Spain is a social event, like going to a football match. Families and friends eat out mostly at the weekend, but on weekdays you can see many office workers and builders having lunch in restaurants. There are many good restaurants in my country that serve traditional Spanish food, but there are also excellent ones that serve exotic food from foreign countries: Thailand, Mexico, Armenia...Teacher: Is food expensive in your country?You: Unfortunately, yes. Prices have risen sharply in the last few years.Teacher: Thank you, David, for sharing this with us.You: You’re welcome.