Chef Led Tour of Albufera Lake and Paella

Meet your chef instructor onboard for a short orientation to Valencian cuisine and paella before departing with your small group for a true culinary adventure. Cruise past the rice fields bordering Lake Albufera as a prelude to a cooking demonstration of paella, a signature Valencian dish that features this locally grown rice. During the boat ride on Spain’s largest freshwater lake, you will see bomba flourishing in the low-lying wetlands. Chefs prize bomba – a short-grain variety of rice that is an essential ingredient in authentic paella – in part because it doesn’t stick together and absorbs three times its volume in broth while cooking so it is extraordinarily flavorful. Commentary will describe the history of paella, which originated around the lake in the 19th century. The chef will show you how to prepare this iconic dish step by step at Restaurant El Redoli in nearby El Palmar. During the demonstration, you will snack on appetizers such as Sevillano olives, ham and cod croquettes. The highlight will be dining on the paella, freshly cooked over a wooden fire.

• Wear casual, weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.