Al-Andalus culinary legacy: Moorish flavour architecture
Al-Andalus (Iberian Peninsula, 8th-15th century)
From 711 to 1492 CE, the Iberian Peninsula was the site of the most sophisticated Islamic civilisation in the medieval world — Al-Andalus — and its culinary influence survived the Reconquista to become the invisible foundation of modern Spanish and Portuguese cooking. The Moorish kitchen introduced the technique of frying in olive oil, the use of almonds as both thickener and flavouring, saffron and warm spice combinations, honey-based pastries, the concept of cold soups (precursor of gazpacho), and the careful balance of sweet, sour, and savoury in a single dish.
Ajoblanco, alfajores, turron, mazapán, marzipan, pasteles, gazpacho, espinacas con garbanzos, escabeche — all carry the Moorish fingerprint.