Córdoba is the gastronomical capital of Andalusia due to the efforts of certain chefs. Córdoba is the gastronomical capital of Andalusia, due to the efforts of certain chefs who have taken pains to introduce innovations into their cooking, recovering Mozarabic and Jewish recipes, and selection processes to increase the quality of the province’s traditional dishes.Salmorejo, a sauce made from thick gazpacho, is a traditional dish, unique to the province, which is eaten with a spoon or on bread, and served with a garnish. Flamenquines [slices of ham, stuffed with cheese and fried], alcachofas a la montillana [artichokes with pork loin in a seasoned dry sherry sauce] and Moorish recipes, such as lamb cooked in a honey sauce, number amongst other typical dishes. Game meat, given the large number of hunting grounds in the province, is cooked to perfection, particularly venison, wild boar and, in terms of small game, partridges. Traditional desserts include the pastel cordobés [cordovan cake], made with puff pastry and, in the classic version, sweet pumpkin filling and Parma ham.
