Cantabria has a variety of foodstuffs, including freshwater and sea fish and seafood, fruit and vegetables, and beef.
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Seafood is widely used, from the entire coast and the Bay of Santander in particular, including clams, mussels, murgas, cockles, crabs, barnacles, crayfish, snails, lobster, and squid. Fish include sea bass, hake, scorpion fish, anchovies, sardine, and bonito.
The bonito is used in one of the most typical dishes of the region: sorropotún or marmita.
Some of the most renowned Cantabrian dishes are hake in green sauce, squid with onions and squid ink, and clam casserole.
Veal is widely used, often from the Tudanca cow. The National Cattle Fair of Torrelavega, the largest cattle fair in Spain, is held in the region.
Game is also of high quality: deer, roe deer and wild boar. The pig is a key element for the cocido montañés, with beans, cabbage and other ingredients.
Cantabian pastries include the traditional sobaos and quesadas pasiegas. Puff pastry is widely used, with different names in different regions: Corbatas in Unquera and San Vicente de la Barquera, Polkas in Torrelavega, or Sacristanes in Liérganes.
Other notables sweetmeats are frisuelos and the canónigo, both of Liebana, corazones in Liérganes and La Cavada, the palucos of Cabezón de la Sal, and the tortos and pantortillas of Reinosa.
Other desserts not of Cantabrian origin are rice pudding, natillas and leche frita, and fruit jams.
Dairy products include Cantabrian cream cheese, Picón Bejes-Tresviso in Tresviso and Bejes, smoked cheeses such as Áliva or Pido, and the Quesucos de Liébana, made with a mixture of cow's and sheep milk.
Orujo is the Cantabrian pomace brandy.
Historically cider and chacoli wine [1][2] were a speciality; after a major decline they are recovering.
Cantabria has two wines with Denominación de Origen Calificada (Protected Geographical Status): Vino de la Tierra Costa de Cantabria and Vino de la Tierra de Liébana.