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Tapas explained (a bit)
I am copying a link to a nice article about tapas in Spain that will hopefully help some of you have a more educated experience while in Spain in spite of perhaps a deficiency in the language!
http://www.spaintapas.com/spanish-tapas-recipes/ Good luck! Northern Spain has the absolute BEST "Pintxos" ( a large biteful of something creatively displayed atop a slice of Spanish bread) and most varied, by far, that I have tried. Please add your favorites here. Patatas bravas pimientos rellenos croquetas (homemade only) |
thanks ,
LOVE tapas ! |
Thanks - more knowledge before - better eating later.
And yes, please list your favorites ---but a translation would be soooo great...Patatas bravas????? |
Patatas Bravas- is fried potatoes served with spicey tomato sauce.
My favorite tapas are: Prawns sauteed in garlic and olive oil I recently had braised beef cheek in London and I am dreaming about it since then. Tomatoes and chorizo sausage Grilled sardines Patatas Bravas I love tapas! |
I dream of the Padron Peppers which I ate at a waterside place in Barcelona. More touristy than we would have liked, but it was a holiday and it felt like everything else was closed. This place served paella, of course, but every table was brought a dish of these peppers with drinks. I have just recently found a source for the seeds and hope to grow them myself next year.
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I know the croquetas aren't great for me, but boy do I ever love them. We can't wait to have some on our next trip!!
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"In Spanish, tapas means cover, hence the most common explanation of Spanish tapas are items, breads or flat cards, often placed on top of a drink to protect it from flies."
That is one explanation. I read somewhere that a previous king, alarmed at the rising levels of alcohol abuse, made a decree that food was to be served with drinks. Red peppers with either anchovies or boquerones on crusty bread served of course with a canas de cerveza (San Miguel preferably). |
Great list!
I can add sepia a la plancha ( grilled squid) pulgo a la gallega ( octopus Galician style) "Revuelto" of anything ( loose scrambled eggs with whatever, wild asparagus "esparragos trigueros" is quite popular) The more CURED the cheeses are, the more bite they have. Manchego goes from tierno (soft) to curado ( cured) to Viejo (aged). When buying at a delicatessan, you do get what you pay for.You can usually taste one or two with no complaints! Same for jamón. |
The anchoa & boquerón canapé (see a pic in a former post) is called "matrimonio" --marriage--. "La Fábrica" at calle Jesús in Madrid, also adds a pickled mussel to this canapé. Then, that tapa is called "orgía". Yes, "orgía" is Spanish for what you are thinking about…
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I always wondered why is not possible to have tapas here in Miami where I live, there are places that sell tapas, but something is missing.Is it tHe feeling, the timing, the chatting that comes along? What do you think? I could think of more things: like tradition, walking between places instead of driving and God Lord having to park !! I found parking one the most unpleasant necessities in Miami, to the point I walk a lot , which is not easy because sometimes there are no sidewalks, the have omitted them all together. I would like to know your opinion... agreed Miami is a more difficult city to have tapas, than other US cities like NY ... Do not get me wrong I am happy living here, but I would be even happier enjoying tapas and all that along with them...
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There are many tapas bars in NYC but few are close together, thus making it difficult to emulate the Spanish experience. As noted on the other tapas topic, Americans think in terms of meals not having a tapa or two and a drink and then jumping to the next place.
It is also part of the Spanish daily life rather than once a while thing for Americans. Americans have many choices of many different cuisines while even in Madrid and Barcelona there are few choices of other cuisines. Many of my favorites have been listed, here are a few more; Dates wrapped in bacon Morcilla-blood suasage and no one mentiones the ubiquitous tortilla espanola |
More mouthwatering pics:
Dátiles con bacon (dates wrapped in bacon) http://www.novaterra92.com/productos...on/fotos/1.jpg Morcilla de arroz aka morcilla de Burgos (black rice sausage) http://www.lasidre.com/imagenes/cazuelita1fondo.jpg Tortilla de patata aka Tortilla Española (potatoes --and sometimes onion-- omelet) http://degusto.files.wordpress.com/2...penela-005.jpg Almejas a la marinera (clams in sauce) http://lh3.ggpht.com/_smZlgcGVf6A/SF...s+marinera.jpg Mejillones al natural (steamed mussels with poured lemon juice) http://restauranteloscorales.com/ima...al%20vapor.jpg Mejillones en escabeche (canned mussels in pickled sauce)) http://labambinaincucina.files.wordp...mejillones.jpg Pescaíto frito (deep fried fish) http://lh6.ggpht.com/_CME-2XnU0QI/SW.../Cadiz+(6).jpg Bacalao rebozado (battered cod) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...o_-_Madrid.jpg Setas a la plancha (grilled wild mushroom) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...la_plancha.jpg Oreja a la plancha (pig ear deep grilled on a very hot griddle) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...eja_de_Oro.jpg Pulpo a la gallega (boiled octopus dressed with paprika and oil) http://lh3.ggpht.com/_HHCPvqr1RUM/Ri...w/P3310197.JPG Empanada gallega (flat pie from Galicia usually stuffed with red pepper and tuna) http://www.softwarejag.com/recetario...nadadeatun.jpg Ensalada campera ('Campera' salad: boiled potatoe, vegetables & tuna) http://bonustrack73.files.wordpress....a-campera1.jpg Callos a la Madrileña (pork tripe Madrid style) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi.../45/Callos.jpg Albondigas (meat balls) http://frine.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/albondigas.jpg Ensaladilla (vegetables salad with mayonnaise) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...aise_salad.jpg |
amy40 please tell us where to get the seeds.
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Thanks Revulgo.
Now can you find an attractive picture of my ex-girl friend? |
My favourite tapa has to be garbanzos con espinacas (chickpeas with spinach).
And papas bravas, and tortilla of course. |
Googled "Aduchamp1's ex-girl friend". Sorry, no results.
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Ha ha ha!!
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Googled "Aduchamp1's ex-girl friend". Sorry, no results.
Thank God! Thanks any way Revulgo Our young cousins from Galicia are coming to visit (New York) in two weeks for a few days. We are very excited. I told them, "No cows here. We cannot fit them in the elevators." |
The tapas listed will be difficult to find in the BAsque Country and Navarra, though...it´s more "pintxos" over here...www.todopintxos.com, for some info.
Still: tapa, normally free and small, standing; ración, paid and larger and sitting down; pintxo, paid, standing and varies in size (depending if hot or cold). |
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