POSTCARD N.235 - SPAIN

Postcard sent on the 12th of June; received on the 25th June 2026

Postcard image: The Guinness Paella World Record 

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Lately, if you're in the habit of dropping by to see what's cooking (pun intended....) you might have noticed that Paella has been a theme for friendly Iberian discussion with Eva, the dedicated keeper of the Mail Adventures blog, from across the border.

To wrap up our exchange on such a relevant icon of Iberian gastronomic culture, Eva good-humouredly sent me a postcard that is exemplary of the pride that Valencia puts in its most famous dish. 

Interestingly enough, I think there is more in that postcard than the simple fact it showcases: the cooking up, in 1992, in Valencia (where else?)  of the biggest paella ever made, (in what is probably also the largest paellera ever built)  enough to feed 100000 souls, under the supervision of chef Juan Carlos Galbis, a feat acknowledged by the supreme registry of unusual, curious or downright idiotic accomplishments: The Guinness Book of Records.

And it is this passion for food related record breaking and for its inscription in the Guinness Book of records that I find is very much an Iberian thing.

When I first looked at Eva's postcard, I immediately thought of a portuguese counterpart for the Guiness paella: The  biggest Feijoada à Portuguesa (Portuguese bean stew) ever served, that was consumed by 17000 people on the longest table ever laid (5 km) - also a Guinness record - on the inauguration of Vasco da Gama Bridge linking Lisbon to Montijo, over the Tagus, in 1998.

But then, as far as Portuguese gastronomic Guinness records are concerned,   there is also the largest chestnut roaster in Vinhais, the Largest Omelette ever made, in Ferreira do Zêzere; the biggest limpet rice, in Madeira, the biggest sardinhada (grilled sardines) in Setúbal; the biggest Bolo-rei (our version of the French Galette des Rois), in Matosinhos, and I am sure, a handful more...

And if on our side, there are so many records,  Eva's side does not fall behind with the largest ‘bocadillo de jamón’ (ham sandwich) in Huelva, the biggest gazpacho (cold soup) in Almeria ; the biggest tortilla de patata (potato omelette) in Vitoria, and some other, I'm sure.... even the original  Paella record has already been broken by the same chef, this time cooking in Madrid, not in Valencia...

Be it as it may, food is something that it taken very seriously in all of the peninsula and people are indeed very proud of their traditional gastronomic heritage on both sides of the border. 

I would even say that the Portuguese and the Spanish are as related in kind in their languages as they are in their cuisine, which in essence is as simple and creative as it is hearty.

In fact, if you never been to the Iberian Peninsula and never tasted any of the dishes that people call theirs, you really don't know what you are missing....

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