Spain’s most iconic dishes are based around rice, and it’s no surprise – this ingredient has been cornerstone to Spanish cooking since the eighth century. In this class, Spanish chef Arantxa Lamas will guide you through this ingredient’s complex history and cultural significance, and introduce us to the ingredients behind some of Spain’s most important dishes.

You’ll explore the history of saffron, one of the country’s most prized exports, and then follow along as Arantxa prepares a truly authentic traditional Valencia paella. You’ll get the recipe beforehand so you can cook along with the chef if you like—or if you’d prefer, sit back and take in all of Arantxa’s cooking tips so you can recreate her paella another time.

This experience is part of the Sunday Sabor series in partnership with Atlas Obscura. Atlas Obscura’s mission is to inspire wonder and curiosity about the incredible world we all share. They started this series, and their other online experiences, because of our current need, more than ever, to stay connected—not only to our sense of wonder but to each other.