I come from Gibraltar which is a melting pot of cultures and a melting pot of different cuisines too.
Food plays a big part of life here and with how different traditions and events during the year are celebrated. In fact one of the biggest events of the social calendar is the ‘Calentita’ gastronomic festival which celebrates all the different cuisines and cultures present in Gibraltar with all sectors of the community represented with their typical dishes.
My mother is Spanish so I’d say my main influence is Spanish food, which is the main component of the food I grew up with. Spanish food is also one of the main influences of the food we eat in Gibraltar which is inevitable due to the geographic proximity but we have a wide range of influences in the food that we love and call our own.
We also have dishes which are unique to Gibraltar mainly of Genoese (Italian) origin which have been passed from generation to generation (such as Calentita which is what the gastronomic festival is named after).
There is no denying that the availability of British food and ingredients have shaped the way that many dishes in Gibraltar have evolved to make them our own.
Being from the Mediterranean I absolutely love Mediterranean food from the west to the east, with Greek, Turkish and Middle Eastern food being among my favourites.
Veggie food in Gibraltar
If you are after vegetarian or vegan food can be a bit challenging in this part of the world where meat and fish feature heavily in food that is traditionally eaten. Pescatarians (even occasional ones) do fare much better since there are always plenty of fish and seafood options everywhere. It is getting much better especially in Gibraltar with many restaurants offering at least one vegetarian option, but there is still room for improvement.
I want to stress this site is about good food, and whether you are a meat eater, pescatarian, flexitarian, vegetarian or vegan, I hope you will find recipes and food that you like here. It’s OK to have labels but at the end of the day good food is good food, and the food here happens to be free of meat. What we eat is a personal choice and whatever your food choices this is a judgement free zone, at least from me! There is no denying however that eating more plant based foods is better for your health, for the environment, for the animals, and better for your pocket too!
It is perfectly possible to have a balanced diet without meat or fish, but even if you are not that strict about it (for example if you sometimes consume meat or fish), I believe in stepping stones and that every little helps.
Initiatives like ‘Meat Free Mondays’ are great, and any reduction in consumption is better than nothing. If you are wanting to explore more plant based recipes then I hope you will find some good ones that you like here, and if you are vegetarian/vegan I hope that you find some interesting ideas here too. I am also always open to food ideas and collaborations 🙂