ABSTRACT

“Cold, hot, as a snack, as a morning tapa, with onion or without, juicy or compacted (…) the Spanish omelette – with the blessing of the paella and the Iberian ham – (…) shines as our most universal dish”. Found in every bar of Spain and consumed in every household and in every region, the Spanish omelette (tortilla española or tortilla de patatas) has contributed to Spain’s nation-building since the late nineteenth century. Despite its humble origins – which initially slowed down its general praise and acceptance – nationalist elites and nation-state agents used the omelette to promote the “Spanishness” of the Spanish cuisine and to project an image of a highly diverse but united country. Yet, the role of the tortilla in the nation-building process has been largely dismissed by scholars. This article explores how nationalist ideologues have used the tortilla to foster and promote a specific conception of the “Spanish nation” and to overcome a series of obstacles that have hindered its nation-building process since the late nineteenth century. The exploration of the omelette’s uses advances visions of Spain’s nation-building process and its recent history.

摘要

“冷的、热的、作为零食、作为早餐小吃、加洋葱或不加洋葱、多汁或压实（……）西班牙煎蛋——加上西班牙海鲜饭和伊比利亚火腿——（……）是我们最普遍的菜肴” . 西班牙煎蛋（tortilla española或tortilla de patatas）在西班牙的每个酒吧都有发现，在每个家庭和每个地区都有食用，自 19 世纪后期以来，它为西班牙的国家建设做出了贡献。尽管它出身卑微——这最初减缓了它的普遍赞誉和接受——民族主义精英和民族国家特工使用煎蛋来宣传西班牙美食的“西班牙性”，并展示一个高度多样化但团结的国家的形象。然而，玉米饼的作用在国家建设过程中，学者们基本上不屑一顾。本文探讨了民族主义理论家如何利用玉米饼来培养和促进“西班牙民族”的特定概念，并克服自 19 世纪后期以来阻碍其国家建设进程的一系列障碍。对煎蛋的用途的探索推进了对西班牙国家建设过程及其近代历史的展望。