Despite the political connection that Andorra has with metropolitan France, Andorran traditional cooking is almost exclusively based on Catalan origins but with a more restricted repertoire due in the old days to a lack of fresh fish, which is so much a part of cooking in the coastal provinces. Andorrans and their mountain-based counterparts in northern Catalonia used to be grindingly poor and their cooking traditions are based entirely around what could be grown locally: tree fruits, such as apples, pears and quinces; nuts such as almonds and hazelnuts; and bush berries such as wild raspberries and blackberries along with root vegetables and hardy cereals and the products from animal husbandry. Olives and softer fruits do not grow well here so were imported preserved and were thus more of a luxury.
The dry mountain air preserves salted foodstuffs well, so dry-cured hams and sausages and some of the best bacon in Europe known as cansalada (literally 'salted meat') feature strongly, as do imported dry goods such as chickpeas, lentils and dried beans. Given how difficult travelling through the mountains was, fresh fish (except for river trout) was a luxury and so salted fish such as bacallà (salt cod) and anxoves (anchovies) from the coast at l'Escala feature prominently in the local repertoire.
Nowadays, though, Andorran cuisine has been expanded to include all the traditional dishes from Catalonia that use the vast range of mediterranean fish and soft fruits. Despite being offered almost everywhere, paellas or arrosejats in Catalan are Spanish imports. More traditional is the fideuà which is similar but made with fine cut noodles. These delicious dishes can be made using fish or meat and are normally served with all-i-oli.
Other dishes to watch out for are escudella , a one pot meal with a host of ingredients such as chicken and pork, cabbage and chickpeas; escalivada , peppers and aubergines baked soft in the oven; faves a la catalana which are shelled broad beans baked with white wine, stock and bacon and any dish which uses our profusion of wild mushrooms such as murgues (morrels), rovellons (fleshy wood mushrooms) and fredolics which are known as chanterelles in France.
With desserts, you shouldn't miss the ubiquitous crema catalana which is (properly) a baked full cream custard with a hard glazed caramel top. You will also spot something strange called Music . This is just dried fruits and nuts with sometimes a little cream or ice cream. It was so named because musicians travelling around the village festes major used to be offered little plates of these whilst playing.
