El gran libro (secreto) de la paella

Paella has no known date of origin, no recognized creator, and no single original recipe; in fact, nothing is known about its beginnings. We often do not fully grasp what we are referring to when we speak of paella. It is difficult to explain, partly because even Valencians do not always agree on the specific dish, and partly because the recipe has evolved over time. Perhaps paella is best understood as a "concept" that varies across the different regions of the Valencian Community, defined primarily by the use of a specific cooking vessel and rice. *El gran libro (secreto) de la paella* (The Great [Secret] Book of Paella) addresses these questions. It is the fruit of the experience and dedication of Vicente Rioja—a chef devoted to unraveling the mysteries of Valencian paella and a fourth-generation member of a family restaurant that opened over a century ago in Benissanó, a town northwest of Valencia city that was once surrounded by rice paddies. Rioja has gathered a vast amount of historical documentation and decoded the secrets of every ingredient and the complex culinary process involved in making paella, drawing on the expertise of specialists from the Polytechnic University of Valencia. His paella combines tradition, heritage, affection, generosity, rigor, and science, but above all, it is honest and authentic. Ultimately, paella represents the culinary heritage of a people—a tradition long preserved within the home kitchen—which Vicente Rioja now reveals and lays bare in this book.