The rich variety ol Valencian cuisine, reflecting the diversity of local
products, is another ol the pleasant surprises that await you. Among the
region's well known dishes, Valencian
paella ( 
33Kb )
is the true protagonist. Genuine paella is done over a wood fire,
with the broth being prepared first before adding the rice.
But there are many other valencian rice recipes, such as:
arròs a banda ( 14Kb )
(rice dish with seafood), arròs negre (rice with squid,
hence "black"), arròs al forn (oven-baked rice),
arròs amb bledes (rice with chard), arròs amb
fesols i naps (with haricot beans and turnip)...
You can also stil try other treats such as fideuà (a kind of paella with noodles instead of rice), originally from Gandia; all i pebre (eels in garlic sauce), from the inland lagoon of Albufera; suquet de peix (fisherman's dish); esgarrat (salted cod with sweet peppers); figatell (meatballs made from liver).
All of these can be enjoyed together with Valencian wines - white from the Alto
Turia and Serranía areas, or red from Requena, Utiel and Campo de
Llíria. And in addition to the quality of Valencia's fruits, in which
oranges ( 12Kb )
play a major role, you'll find an extensive array of confectionery, the
star of which is the arnadí (a pie made from sweet potatoes) and
a series of typical refreshments such as horchata de chufa (tiger nut
milk), often accompanied by fartons (a kind of sweet breadstick), originating
in Alboraya.
