Muslim Contribution to Spanish Cuisine

European culture as a whole owes much to the Muslim world. However in Spain it is easier to trace the direct influence, as much of the Iberian peninsula was ruled by Muslims for nearly 700 years. CultureKiosque reports on April 6th at the Alhambra Palace museum in Granada a group of historians and cooks will explore, talk about and taste the influnence of Al-Andalus on Spanish food. This will range from the introductions of foods like "almonds, saffron, paprika, peppers and sweets for pastries" to broader contributions:

Many of these innovations including the three-course meal, the use of crystal rather than metal goblets for drinks at table and the introduction of the asparagus have been attributed to Abu al-Hasan Ali Ibn Nafi, a.k.a. Ziryab (c. 789—857),a Baghdad-born virtuoso musician (oud, persian lute, singer), theorist and gastronomic chef of mixed race (African-Persian) at the Umayyad court of Abd-ar-Rahman II, Emir of Córdoba (822–852).

The wonderful event is part of the Guardian Hay Festival which takes an in depth look at the centuries-old Arab-European exchanges.