[Djvacto]

Paella actually has a lot of variations all over spain, and it was a very "what do we have on-hand" kind of food!

My relatives in Madrid have chorizo, shrimp, shellfish, rabbit, chicken, sausage as far as meats I've seen in the paellas they've made.

Chorizo, shrimp, shellfish, and chicken is by far the most common they make. It may also make sense that the paella that "caught on" in the states just hails from a different region of Spain. So "American Paella" may just be closer to a non-valencian paella.

[jk7tarYZAQNpTQa]

> Paella actually has a lot of variations all over spain, and it was a very "what do we have on-hand" kind of food!

I'm sorry but that's not true at all. Paella allows for some variations, but there's a clear line separating paella from "arroz con cosas". Just because it has rice and is cooked in a wide and short pan doesn't make it paella.

> My relatives in Madrid have chorizo, shrimp, shellfish, rabbit, chicken, sausage as far as meats I've seen in the paellas they've made.

I don't think you can call an orange juice "paella" just because "that's how you cook it".

[harperlee]

Paella Valenciana might be that restrictive, but paella… that ship sailed long ago. Paella can even come with orange juice if you are inventive enough (it ought to have orange reminiscences due to The Need to cook it with naranjo wood).

And that “clear line” is source of endless discussions, so not so clear it seems!