On Tuesday we took a paella cooking class in the Russafa neighborhood of Valencia with My First Paella and it was fantastic! We met in front of a local market, walked through it and picked up our ingredients, then cooked a traditional Valencian paella (chicken and rabbit). It was delicious!

Chasen and his boyfriend, smiling in aprons at a paella-making class in Valencia, standing behind a large pan of finished paella Valenciana with rice, green beans, and meat.The interior of Mercado de Ruzafa in Valencia, with colorful produce stalls, shoppers, and a large stained-glass “RUZAFA” sign above the main walkway.An instructor at My First Paella explaining the process, with paella ingredients like tomatoes, green beans, garlic, and meats arranged neatly in bowls on the counter.A hand ladling large white beans into a wide pan of simmering red broth, surrounded by chicken and green beans, during an early stage of making paella Valenciana.Paella cooking in broth with chicken, snails, and vegetables as someone uses tongs to adjust ingredients and a spoon to stir.An instructor holding up a Catalan phrase sign reading “Salut i força al canut” and a humorous drawing of kitchen tongs labeled “Canut.”A serving of traditional paella Valenciana on a plate, with saffron rice, green beans, rabbit, chicken, and two snails.Sliced tomato topped with diced onion, caper berries, olive oil, and seasoning, served as a light starter.Dessert of orange slices with cinnamon, sponge cake, and two small glasses of sweet mistela wine.