An Assortment of Spanish Tapas

While many cultures have a “little bites” tradition — Middle Eastern mezze, Russian zakuski, Italian antipasto — it seems like the Spaniards are the most passionate about theirs.  Tapas bars are everywhere you look in Spain, and diners are just as likely to make a full meal of tapas as they are to sit down for a formal dinner.  Most people, in fact, visit several different bars in a single night and enjoy a variety of tapas wherever they go.  (Even outdoor markets offer tapas for the nibbling:  La Boquería in Barcelona features row upon row of freshly-prepared tapas, many of which are displayed in glass cases to make your selection even easier.  There’s nothing quite like snuggling up to the bar with a plate of pistou and a glass of Rioja amidst the hustle and bustle of one of Spain’s busiest markets.  And after you polish off your tapas, there are plenty of candymakers waiting to tempt you with truffles and turtles of the chocolate persuasion.  Not to mention the exotic-fruit vendors selling plastic cups filled with the best freshly-drawn coconut milk I’ve ever had. But that’s another post…)

While tapas may seem intimidating, they really aren’t — on the contrary, tapas are the essence of simplicity.  Any good-quality single ingredient that can stand on its own can be a tapa:  nuts, olives, cheeses, ham, fruit, etc.  All you have to do to make authentic tapas is choose ones that are Spanish in origin, like marcona almonds rather than standard almonds or Manchego cheese rather than Swiss cheese (or any other non-Spanish cheese).

For instance, this round of tapas included (clockwise from left to right):

• Grapes

• Jamón ibérico (Iberian ham; jamón serrano is another popular option)

• Sautéed Apple & Spinach Salad

• Hard-boiled eggs with canned tuna (bonito tuna canned in olive oil)

• Fabas asturianas (a type of large white bean — you could also use Great White Northern beans) tossed with extra-virgin olive oil, parsley, and a splash of sherry vinegar

• Roasted piquillo peppers (you could also use roasted red peppers) tossed with extra-virgin olive oil and sautéed garlic

• Manchego cheese

Other great offerings would be a simple bowl of plump green olives, a bowl of marcona almonds, or a loaf of crusty bread served with extra-virgin olive oil and sea salt.

Tapas can also be gloriously complex affairs, of course — and those can be fun to make, too! — but they don’t have to be.  Just get out your prettiest dishes, fill them with a variety of tasty morsels, and let the tapas night begin!