Spanish Practices

Octopus is one of Spain's most iconic foods—but should we really be eating such an intelligent creature? In this episode of Spanish Practices, we celebrate Spain's love affair with pulpo, from the famous Pulpo a la Gallega of Galicia to the dramatic open-fire octopus cooking traditions of Andalusia. Along the way we explore the surprising intelligence of octopus, their problem-solving abilities, their strange distributed "arm brains," and the growing debate about whether such a remarkable animal should be on the menu at all. Are octopus really as smart as dogs? Can they recognise humans, escape aquariums, and even be kept as pets? And what does modern science say about their sentience and welfare? Join us for a light-hearted but thought-provoking look at one of Spain's most delicious—and controversial—seafood traditions. In praise of pulpo… with just a touch of philosophical guilt.