I saw the flyer for Cookele my first night in the hostel. I was at first a little hesitant about taking a class, slightly fearful of it being a tourist trap. But my crash course on how to cook seafood paella made my time in Granada what it was. The course was meant to be a comprehensive experience, so the day began in the market. There I was taught what ingredients were needed for the recipe and how to get what I needed from each stand in the market. The food buying experience takes on a whole new character when you have the opportunity to interact with the seller of each product. At every stop there were suggestions and recommendations to make the paella better based on their knowledge of their products. We moved from fruit, to dried goods and ended in the seafood section.

From the market we walked to where the class would take place. A large kitchen with vintage decorations and from there the fun began! The process all together took about 4hrs. But in the end we had a wonderful paella that was shared with friends.

It is experiences like these that make me feel a part of a culture. Eating, talking and being a part of the community.