Looking
to take the blah out of a dull day? Have some tapas.
Better yet, have some tapas with a group of fun-loving friends. That's
how they are best enjoyed.
Iniatially these appetizing bites originating in Spain served a more
rudimentary purpose, rather than a social one.
In Spanish, tapas means cover or a lid. It was custom of bartenders
to put edible tapas, such as a slice of bread, ham or sausage over
top of glasses of sherry to provide food to accompaany the drink.
It also kept insects out of the glass, a particulary good idea if
it was an open air bar.
From this practical beginning, a huge variety of intriguing and palate
pleasing tapas evolved and moved from the top of the glass to small
plates.
The concept was a hit and countless tapas bars in Spain, and eventually
in many parts of the world, sprung up and began to specialize in these
treats.
Unlike a formal sit down meal, tapas are designed to be casually nibbled
while you sip sherry, wine, beer or, perhaps, sangria, and discuss
the day's events, share a story or talk about future plans.
The lively flavours of the tapas help the words start flowing. They
also help keep the words coherent, the noshing keeps you from drinking
too quickly and helps absorb alchol already consumed.
There are dozens of classic Spanish tapas, some as simple as toasted
almonds and marianated olives, others that require a little more preperation,
such as garlic shrimp, chorizo sausage in olive oil and fried new
potatoes. But there seems to be much room for a cook to improvise
and create his own.
Simply put, if the dish created has qualities that make your senses
wake up and take notice, it should qualify if presented in the correct
manner.
For it is the style of eating that seems more definitive of tapas
than the foods used. Fingers, coctail picks or small forks are the
utensils of choice. When dining on tapas you sample one or two bites
from one plate, then move to the next and the next, and then maybe
back to the first.
You sip, you sample, you chat, you smile: That's what eating tapas
is about.
Find out for yourself. Try the eight tapas recipes that are shown
for yourself or a group of friends, can use to create a tapas buffet.
The recipes should provide enough food to act as dinner for six to
eight people. Be sure to include a loaf of crusty bread and feel free
to add or substitute recipe items with others, such as cubes or slices
of good cheese, small tomatoes, marinated mushrooms, smoked fish,
or cubes or slices of smoked ham. |
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