Spanish desserts are typically not very sweet, just a little something to change the taste and end the meal, preferable with a cup of that wonderful coffee!

When we think of Spain, tapas are one of the first things that comes to mind. The delicious little plates of goodness that go perfectly with a caña of beer or a glass of wine are an icon of Spain, so spend some time hopping from bar to bar tasting them. There are so many to try, from gambas al pil pil and tortilla de patatas to albondigas (meatballs) and Russian salad, you'll never get bored of them.

Gazpacho is one Andalucia's trademark dishes and a sign that summer is truly here. Why not try out some of these recipes suggested by food writer Janet Mendel, with Porra recipes from the kitchens of Arte de Cozina in Antequera and a special Cherry Gazpacho recipe from Alfonso Rodriguez.

There is most certainly a difference between grabbing a bite of something on the run, or sitting down at table to eat a meal the "right" way, and the Spanish are experts on making meals so much more than just sustenance.

Award Winning Food writer Janet Mendel, author of several books about Spanish cooking, provides a taste of Andalucía. In this instalment, she introduces you to paella and beyond.

Few things can beat Sherry as a pre-meal aperitif. Ever since Sir Francis Drake ransacked the port of Cádiz in 1587 and made off with 3,000 barrels of Sherry, the British have been addicted to the stuff, and continue to be the main international clients.

Andalucia has a long history of winemaking and produces several interesting and taste-worthy products you’re sure to enjoy.

With a wine-making tradition spanning more than 2000 years and with more vineyard acreage than any other country in the world, Spain is producing wines of increasingly good quality. Wine in Andalucia is produced in four "Denominación de Origen" areas. Beer (cerveza) is enormously popular in Spain, which is in fact one of Europe's major producers of lager.

Paella is a golden rice dish which rates with the best rice dishes in the world. In Andalucía, paella is happy food, fiesta food, served for Sunday lunch or a picnic in the country. Beyond paella are more rice dishes which also make tasty eating.

In Andalusia, as in the rest of Spain, the feast of Christmas dinner takes place late on the night of Christmas Eve (Nochebuena) and normally goes on into the small hours of Christmas Day. Traditionally, the exchanging of presents is not until the 6th of January, on King's Day (Reyes) and so full attention is given to the cooking of an extravagant meal on the night of the 24th.

The pigs of Andalucia also contribute to the making of sausages, with red chorizo and black morcilla being the best-known. The villages in the vicinity of Ronda and Antequera (Málaga) are renowned for their sausages. Sausages, along with pulses, potatoes and vegetables go into hearty stews and soups that are winter fare.

Gazpacho, in one form or another, is nearly as old as these hills. It probably derives from a Roman dish, a gruel of bread and oil. The name gazpacho may come from the Latin caspa, meaning fragments or little pieces, referring to the breadcrumbs which are such an essential ingredient.

You can find a number of holiday villas for rent in the countryside around Gaucin. The space and the privacy of a villa, with or without a pool and staff, is an attractive option for visitors who prefer flexibility and freedom in their accommodation.

The town's magnificent castle, now called Castillo del Aguila (Eagle's Castle), dates from Roman times, although earlier Iberian ceramics have been found in its water tank. The castle was expanded by the Visigoths and then further extended by the Arabs into a fortress, after the Moors invaded in 714.

Gaucin is delightful village, to just stroll around in the sunshine and here we have highlighted the curiosities of the village. Walk into the village on Calle Luis de Armiñan, past the Convento de los Carmelitas, built in the 18th century and abandoned in 1835. Now owned by the town hall, this is used as a civic building and sometimes holds art exhibitions by the many artists living and working in the town.

The use of almonds in local cuisine is a centuries old custom in Andalucia. Almonds are easily available in supermarkets throughout the region, but you might also enjoy shopping for them at local farmers markets where you can buy them either fresh off the tree or roasted.

Almond trees and the nuts they bear are an integral part of life in Andalucia. While the countryside is dotted with almond groves, kitchens throughout the region make use of creamy almonds for soups, meat dishes, pastries and seasonal treats.

The aroma of delicious sweet roast chestnuts roasting on the streets of Andalucía from late October to December, always brings a warm hearty feeling. There’s something really special about eating freshly roasted chestnuts outdoors.

Oranges are big business in Spain. Andalucia topping the charts in production ahead of Valencia since 2019. However, the “naranjo” (orange tree), its blossoms and its fruits have a long tradition in Andalucia with Moorish poets singing their praises in Islamic Spain and historians reminding us that these trees were also valued by Greeks and Romans who surely cultivated them in their Iberian colonies.

Tapas a Bite of Spain is filled with scrumptious cold salads, sauces, dips and dressings, bite-sized bits of the best Spanish cured hams and aged cheeses, traditional flavours off the griddle and out of the frying pan and a host of options for serving up everything from Spanish potato tortillas to fresh anchovies or autumn mushrooms.