Spain is a feast of sights, sounds, and smells. As you read
The Fountains of Silence,
I hope you can feel Madrid in 1957. The sunshine. The passion. The fear. The silence.
Spain is also a culinary capital. While working on the book, food played a large role in my research. As you may have noted, there are many mentions of Spanish food throughout the novel and, yes, I delighted in tasting the numerous dishes and delicacies I mention in the story!
To immerse myself in the period and atmosphere, I collected archival menus, drink cards, room keys, and even place settings from the Castellana Hilton.
During my research, I highlighted mentions of food in vintage magazines and news service clippings. I interviewed a gentleman who was a waiter at the Castellana Hilton in Madrid for many years.
The following recipes for Traditional Red Sangria and Tortilla de Patatas were created by chef Joseph Baer of Nashville, Tennessee to echo scenes in the book.
-Ruta Sepetys
