Nm

[Drama Llama]

...

Edited October 27, 2021 by BaseballandHockey

[TCB]

I would say 4 or 5 different ones would be good. We had some really nice potatoes that were good but seemed simple, not sure of the name. I would say up to you if all together or 1 at a time. We had several at a time I think, as they got them ready. It was one of our favorite eating experiences.

[Ausmumof3]

Patatas bravas are yum but I don’t have a good recipe we’ve only had them out.  I’ve made a version but it’s not very consistent.

[barnwife]

Tortilla Española
Patatas bravas
croquetas
gambas a la plancha or gambas al ajillo
empanadas
something with chorizo
manchego cheese

Welp, now I am hungry. 

[Farrar]

Seconding barnwife's list of the classics.

MMmm... tapas.

[Slache]

No opinion but Japan does the same thing called kaiseki and you should do that later.

[Drama Llama]

....

Edited October 27, 2021 by BaseballandHockey

[Drama Llama]

...

Edited October 27, 2021 by BaseballandHockey

[Slache]

58 minutes ago, BaseballandHockey said:

I have been reading about tapas, and I'm just getting more confused about where the line is between tapas and dinner.  When I've had what was described as tapas it was always little plates of finger type food, but when I google, I see a lot of things like rice dishes that seem like they'd need forks. 

Maybe we'll just do a Spanish dinner with some tapas type appetizers and some other dishes?  

I'd love more menu suggestions.  The whole point is to make things we haven't made before, or don't make often, and we have Tortilla Española and gazpacho pretty regularly, so we won't make those.  But all other suggestions are welcome.  

I've only had tapas at parties so I know nothing of recipes. For Mexican in general mole, menudo, sopita, sopapilla,  lingua, tripas, civiche, cabeza, compechana, camarones.

Go to a tienda for inspiration. Make sure you get horchata (in dark blue).

[Slache]

And tacos.

[Drama Llama]

....

Edited October 27, 2021 by BaseballandHockey

[Slache]

Just now, BaseballandHockey said:

I definitely want Spanish, as opposed to Latin American, just because we already eat lots of Latin American (Mexican, Central American, and Peruvian in particular) food, and this is about exploring something less familiar.  

Oops. Lo siento. I was not raised by Spaniards.

[Drama Llama]

...

Edited October 27, 2021 by BaseballandHockey

[bibiche]

Have paella. Everyone loves paella!

[barnwife]

Well, traditionally tapas were small servings/bites of something you got with a drink when out. I *think* they started off free when you purchased a drink. 

So...drinks for all with the tapas (okay, just the grown-ups)! I suggest sidra, which you should absolutely try pouring as it's done there just for the fun of it. 

In your case, I'd make whatever tapas I wanted and just serve it buffet style. You also couldn't go wrong with adding paella. You should also try churros someday.

Also, all of this knowledge is from when I studied abroad in Spain which was...not yesterday, so while I don't think you can go wrong with any of my options, someone else might have more ideas!

[Jean in Newcastle]

I would go get (or order online) a tapas cookbook from your library. With your experience with cooking I bet that you can tell from looking at a recipe whether it uses ingredients that you like etc. 

Edited August 9, 2021 by Jean in Newcastle
Left out a word

[Danae]

I have never gone wrong following recipes from Serious Eats.

https://www.seriouseats.com/tapas-recipes

 

[Drama Llama]

...

Edited October 27, 2021 by BaseballandHockey

[Jean in Newcastle]

4 minutes ago, BaseballandHockey said:

Ok so here is an example of where I am confused.

This is a recipe that looks amazing to me:

https://www.seriouseats.com/warm-spanish-style-giat-bean-salad-recipe

I would totally eat that.  But it doesn’t fit my image of little handheld things you eat with a glass of wine.   Which is what I thought tapas were.  But I have seen it on several websites as an example of a tapas.

So I can’t figure out how you eat it standing up at a bar. Or how to serve it. Which is what I need.  I need a vision of this event before I pick a menu.  Like are we seated at a table?  Is all the food out at once? Or like something new every half hour? Does everyone get their own little plate for each food?  

I am clearly overthinking this.  Like I am stressed about much much bigger things I can not fix so I am pouring all my angst into tapas party planning.

Put it on the bread and eat it by hand. 

[Danae]

6 minutes ago, BaseballandHockey said:

Ok so here is an example of where I am confused.

This is a recipe that looks amazing to me:

https://www.seriouseats.com/warm-spanish-style-giat-bean-salad-recipe

I would totally eat that.  But it doesn’t fit my image of little handheld things you eat with a glass of wine.   Which is what I thought tapas were.  But I have seen it on several websites as an example of a tapas.

So I can’t figure out how you eat it standing up at a bar. Or how to serve it. Which is what I need.  I need a vision of this event before I pick a menu.  Like are we seated at a table?  Is all the food out at once? Or like something new every half hour? Does everyone get their own little plate for each food?  

I am clearly overthinking this.  Like I am stressed about much much bigger things I can not fix so I am pouring all my angst into tapas party planning.

I think the defining feature is “small plates.”  It’s food you might get to accompany your drinking in a bar, but that can mean sitting at the bar or a table in a bar, not walking around with a glass and canapés at a party.

Edited August 9, 2021 by Danae

[Serenade]

13 hours ago, BaseballandHockey said:

I have been reading about tapas, and I'm just getting more confused about where the line is between tapas and dinner.  When I've had what was described as tapas it was always little plates of finger type food, but when I google, I see a lot of things like rice dishes that seem like they'd need forks. 

 

When I lived in Spain, you could get a tapa of pretty much anything that was on the dinner menu -- many items came in 3 sizes -- tapa, racion, and plato.  So you could get an entree of paella, for example, but you could also choose a tapa size, or a racion size of paella.  Racion is a size between tapa and plato.  

[QueenCat]

What time are we supposed to show up?

[BeachGal]

7 hours ago, QueenCat said:

What time are we supposed to show up?

I’ll bring the sangria!

I eat tapas often at restaurants. Here are some in the Chicago area that have a pretty typical menu to give you some ideas:

—Cafe Iberico

—Tapas Barcelona

—Cafe Ba Ba Reba