The Real Spaniard´s Guide to… La Siesta

Although it can be a frustration to many an ill-prepared tourist in Spain when shops and business almost universally haul down their shutters at two in the afternoon and don´t open them until five, the siesta is nevertheless an integral part of the Spanish national culture. Considering that the average Spaniard may not eat dinner until nine, ten, or even eleven at night, having socialized with friends over tapas, and perhaps before heading back out until the early hours of the morning, the siesta is for many a vital midday pit stop to recharge.

Thankfully, for those with trouble slowing down, the siesta is effectively mandatory, since unlike during the American lunch break, almost everything is closed.

Although the word siesta technically refers to the short midday nap of around 20-30 minutes, it has come to refer more broadly to the midday break as a whole. This is thought to have its origins in the days of the Spanish Civil War, when many people were forced to take multiple jobs and were left with downtime in the middle of the day as they finished one job and prepared for the next. For many Spaniards nowadays, la siesta is about the midday meal more than anything else – known as la comida or almuerzo. In fact, it is this midday meal, which is larger than any other meal of the day, that likely gives cause to a nap in the first place.

It starts with an aperitivo, distinct from tapas but sometimes involving the same dishes. This will typically consist of something small like olives or chips, taken with a drink before heading home. In Galicia, it might also be a tiny portion of the regional pulpo á galega (boiled salted octopus) or in Catalonia a little pa amb tomáquet (bread with tomato). Actually, in Catalonia it´s customary, especially on Sundays, to have an an alcoholic drink with such midday appetizers. Traditionally this will be a Vermouth and sparkling water (hence the custom being called the vermut). but any drink will do, the idea being to socialise before lunch, rather than to get drunk.

Next up, the first course will be something light like a salad or soup. Popular choices include the grilled Escalivada salad of eggplant, peppers, tomatoes and onions, or else the cold Andalusian Ajoblanco (white soup flavored with almonds and garlic, and served with melon or grapes). Tortillas, such as those here at Ataula – the classic Tortilla de Patata or the mushroom, cheese and bacon Francesca – are also common as starters, entradas or entrantes.

Topping it all off with a dessert might sound like a tall order, but with a choice of those delicious national favorites, churros and flan, the prospect becomes altogether more enticing. For the more pious among us, there´s always a simple combination of yoghurt and fruits instead – everything from prickly pear and pineapple to kiwi and banana. After all of this, at around four or so in the afternoon, the nap will come on naturally. And then it´s back to the business of the day for a few hours before stopping for an evening of tapas!