Food:
Very popular and readily available are salted seafood preparations, known as salazones, including mojama (tuna roe), bacalao (cod), huevas (roe), pulpo seco (dried octopus), anchoas (anchovies) and melva (similar to bonito roe). These are all good tapas before a meal or as a starter, usually offered in the now fashionable presentation of the montadito, i.e. "mounted" on a small slice of toasted bread.
Tapas dates back to the 18th century when (according to popular opinion) wine glasses were covered with side plates in order to keep the flies off, this was then expanded and small items of food were put on the plates and from this came the name Tapas (tapar = cover). Tapas can be little morsels that are offered free in bars e.g. olives, peanuts, almonds etc or can be meal in themselves and are offered on the menu e.g. a plate with ham, salami, cheese and seafood, served with bread or, also very popular, are the small meatballs served with a hot sauce. Most bars offer food ranging from bocadillos (sandwiches) to tapas and raciones (a ration or large tapa).
Then comes a variety of second dishes, such as calamares rellenos (stuffed squid), suquet de peix (a fisherman's pot), cocido huertano (farmer's stew), gazpacho de mero (swordfish stew), and fresh shrimp, or gambas followed by a desert of turrón (made from almonds and honey) which has made the region famous and is manufactured in the nearby town of Jijona.
Be prepared to try dozens of different, savoury rice dishes during your stay the first and foremost is the rice a la alicantina, using chicken and rice as basic ingredients, accompanied by shellfish and seasoned with ñora, a touch of dried red pepper. Also try the caldero (stewed with fish), el arroz a banda (rice in fish stock), el arroz con costra (rice with baked egg on top) and arroz negro (with squid in its own ink).
Try gazpacho manchego, not served cold but steaming containing meat and pasta or chuletas de cordero (grilled lamb chops) where you see the sign carnes a la brasa (grilled meats).

Wine:
The Alicante region has approximately 15,000 hectares of vineyards in 2 zones. The main zone follows the course of the Vinalopó River and is centred on the towns of Monóvar, Elda, Villena and Novelda and the second zone is north east of Alicante around Jávea, Denia and Alfaz del Pi.
Spanish wine, in common with all EU countries, is split into two levels: quality wine (Vino de Calidad Producido en Region Demarcada - VCPRD) and table wine (Vino de Mesa).

Quality wines have the following classifications:

Table wines have the following classifications:

Visit one of the following Vineyards where you can sample and buy: