Paella, ‘icon of the Mediterranean diet’, given protected status

Valencia declares beloved - and often abused - dish an item of cultural significance

One of Spain's best-known, beloved, and frequently abused, dishes has been given protected cultural status on the grounds that a proper paella celebrates the art of unity and sharing".

On Wednesday, the government of Valencia - the region where paella originated - declared the dish an item of cultural significance, extolling its history and virtues in an eight-page announcement in the official gazette.