INTERVJU / INTERVIEW
EVA LONGORIA I found a part of myself in Spain Through the picturesque landscapes, history and gastronomy of the land of her ancestors, this legendary “Desperate Housewife” embarks on a personal and emotional journey that combines her roots and the present, art and everyday life... F rom sunny Andalusia, through the rocky lands of Galicia that carry the scent of the ocean, to the futuristic creations of today’s most famous chefs – each episode is both a gastronomic jour- ney and a lifetime discovery for actress Eva Longoria. In this interview for Ele- vate, she reveals what it was like to en- counter Spanish vineyards and mar- kets and what she found within herself in the TV series Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain, which is now showing on the 24Kitchen channel... When did you decide to set out in search of your Spanish roots? - I always felt as though part of me be- longs to Spain, but I didn’t know how strong that connection was until I started researching my family histo- ry. My ancestor, 11-year-old Lorenzo Longoria, left Spain in the early 17 th century bound for the New World. More than four centuries later, I want- ed to return, to close that circle and find the part of me that had remained there. When I stood on the soil of An- dalusia and inhaled the scent of or- ange blossom in the air, I knew that I hadn’t only come as an actress and producer, but as a woman on a quest to find her own identity. What surprised you the most during your travels around Spain? - Diverseness. Spain isn’t a single coun- try. Within it are dozens of worlds on a
single map. Andalusia breathes with Ar- abic and Roman influences, Galicia is rugged and harsh, but also has the in- finite warmth of its people and food from the sea, while Catalonia offers a modern, almost futuristic pulse. Every mouthful was a history lesson. At one point I was eating quail with sherry and thinking to myself that this is the taste of centuries, tradition and love. I real- ised that food isn’t just fuel for the body here, rather it’s a time machine to the past and the key to understanding the local people. The show reveals your passion for gastronomy. How important is food to you? - Food, for me, is a story about people. When you sit to a table in Spain, you don’t just eat bread and olives, you get the whole landscape, climate, habits and history of the families that created that food. I met farmers who still har- vest olives in the same way that their ancestors did a hundred years ago, fishermen who get up before dawn to catch shellfish from the Atlantic, fami- lies that preserve recipes as their great- est treasures. What did you personally learn through this journey? - I learned that our roots are like invis- ible threads that mould us constant- ly, even when we don’t see them. As I strolled the narrow streets of Seville or sat in a Galician fishing village, I felt as
though a part of me belonged to those people, those stories. That was an emo- tional revelation – that identity is more than your home address. I found the fla- vour of my identity in Spain, and that’s a lesson I’ll carry with me always. How do you balance the glamour of Hollywood with such personal projects? - It’s a dance on a knife edge. The red carpet is glittering and everything is glamorous and slightly surreal. But then you visit the greenmarket in Gra- nada and talk with the old ladies who sell tomatoes, and who show you how to make the sauce with a recipe they learned from their mothers – and you realise that’s just as glamorous, only in a different way. It is precisely this bal- ance that makes me happy. Glamour gives me a platform, while projects like this give me soul. What would you say to our readers, who generally love travelling and exploring? - I would tell them to travel not on- ly with their eyes, but also with their hearts and stomachs. Try the local food, sit with the people, ask them about their stories. Travel isn’t just a list of must-see sights, rather it’s an opportunity to experience life else- where. I found a part of myself in Spain, and I believe everyone can find something that will change them for- ever, provided they’re open enough.
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