Whatcya cookin? It’s time for ‘stump the copywriter’ today! I received an invitation order this morning for a paella party, and for the first time in a long time, I had to Google the details of this unheard-of party! I figured if I was unaware, others might be too, so I thought I would share my findings with my readers today, and who knows – maybe we’ll all have a little something different on the dinner table or party table tonight!
Paella, (pictured here on the left) is a Spanish or Valencian rice dish that comes from the mid-19th century in Valencia, which is on the east coast of Spain. It is considered to be Spain’s national dish, however it is largely recognized in Spain for one of Valencia’s symbols.
The word paella is derived from the Catalan word for pan, and there are three popular types of paella, – Valencian paella, seafood paella or mixed paella. Valencian paella is made from white rice, green vegetables, beans and a variety of available meats including duck, chicken and snails. Hints of saffron and olive oil are key ingredients in the dish. Seafood paella involves the same main ingredients above with substituting shrimp, clams or other seafood favorites for meat, and removal of the green vegetables. Mixed paella involves a combination of any of the above food – typically involving a combination of vegetables, beans, meat and seafood.
Paella is typically cooked over an open fire by the men at the party, which is fueled with orange branches, pine branches and pine cones. The smoke is what gives paella it’s great flavor, and at a traditional dinner, guests can be served or eat directly out of the pan! One of the great parts of this Spanish dish is that it feels a multitude of people, and has such a great variety of foods that all of your guests are sure to be pleased. Paellas are great for large family gatherings, engagement parties, corporate outings, family reunions and celebrations of Spanish heritage.
If you are hosting your own paella party, set the scene with a paella party invitation to spice things up! If you are hosting a seafood paella party, have a variety of seafood invitations that will help you invite and entice your guests. Choose from large cooking pots, crawfish invitations, formal place setting invitations and nautical bordered invitations. We also offer dinner party invitations if you are having a traditional Valencian paella feast or Spanish themed invitations to set the scene for your cultural infused event.
Check out some of our favorite paella party invitations below and share your own paella recipe with us by commenting on my blog – we’d love to share your findings with our other readers!
