In Spanish, the word tapas refers to the lid on a wine glass, which is a fitting name since dishes are served on the lids. Tapas culture follows no fixed pattern. When the Romans introduced olives to the region, olives were added as an ingredient for tapas; when the Arabs to the south brought with them a variety of vegetables, these were added as well; a wide array of seafood from the coastal cities also makes for an important elements in tapas dishes.
Tapas comes in all sorts, and Jordi Noguera, who hails from Cataluña, Spain and is the Head Chef of FOC (below), tells us that selecting the right dish is no easy feat as well.
Tapas comes in all sorts, and Jordi Noguera, who hails from Cataluña, Spain and is the Head Chef of FOC (below), tells us that selecting the right dish is no easy feat as well.
Pick dishes from the whole flavour spectrum
He says: "The most important thing is to start with the light-tasting dishes, slowly increasing in flavour, so as to be able to eat more. Starting with olives or Gilda, which is a stick of olives, anchovies and other ingredients, makes for a decent selection. Vinegar-marinated anchovy Boquerones is another good option.
Other Tapas dishes include the salad Ensaladilla, aged meats and so on. In Catalonia, one should never give the bread with tomato sauce spread a miss!".
He says: "The most important thing is to start with the light-tasting dishes, slowly increasing in flavour, so as to be able to eat more. Starting with olives or Gilda, which is a stick of olives, anchovies and other ingredients, makes for a decent selection. Vinegar-marinated anchovy Boquerones is another good option.
Other Tapas dishes include the salad Ensaladilla, aged meats and so on. In Catalonia, one should never give the bread with tomato sauce spread a miss!".
After a light appetizer, Jorgi says the next order should be something heavier. Jordi says: "Heavier-tasting Tapas include some fried foods such as Croquetas, the fragrant and spicy Patatas Bravas, as well as Bunyol doughnuts etc. If the restaurant offers Paella, you may want to have a small portion of that as well!”
Patatas bravas from FOC
Save the heavier meats for last
Jordi continues: “Finally, order a large piece of meat to conclude your Tapas experience, such as the T-bone steak Chuleton, or a large piece of fish, such as Bacalao, which is cod prepared with garlic and white wine.
All in all, a complete Tapas experience can go from one restaurant to another, as each restaurant has its own specialties. In San Sebastian or the southern Spanish cities of Malaga and Granada, these “Tapas tours" are very common, but it’s a little more difficult to do the same in Asia."
Jordi continues: “Finally, order a large piece of meat to conclude your Tapas experience, such as the T-bone steak Chuleton, or a large piece of fish, such as Bacalao, which is cod prepared with garlic and white wine.
All in all, a complete Tapas experience can go from one restaurant to another, as each restaurant has its own specialties. In San Sebastian or the southern Spanish cities of Malaga and Granada, these “Tapas tours" are very common, but it’s a little more difficult to do the same in Asia."
There are a few other words and phrases one should bear in mind when ordering Tapas in Spanish. For example, "Raciones" refers to an entire meal’s worth of Tapas. As Tapas usually comes in small quantities, should you wish to fill your stomach, you should order a full portion of "Raciones." "Platos Combinados”, on the other hand, is a complete set meal, comprising 3 to 4 small dishes.
Preparing Tapas: Not as Easy as it Looks
At the culinary class organised by Consentino, Jordi also demonstrated how to prepare a number of Tapas dishes (below).
Preparing Tapas: Not as Easy as it Looks
At the culinary class organised by Consentino, Jordi also demonstrated how to prepare a number of Tapas dishes (below).
Many seemingly simple dishes actually require a lot of steps to make them delicious. For example, olive oil-roasted vegetables (Escalivada) require the vegetables to first be roasted, then sprinkled with olive oil before being peeled and chopped, and finally sprinkled with wine and other seasoning ingredients before being spread on bread. The preparation process is rather complicated.
The immensely popular tomato bread in Barcelona may look simple, but preparing the tasty treat is by no means easy. Jorgi makes the sauce from scratch using top-grade Italian tomatoes, then spreads it on bread that he has baked himself, creating this simple yet delicious delicacy.
Differences between the North and South
Different regions of Spain possess different Tapas cultures. Jorgi says: "There are different ways of eating in different parts of Spain, my favourite is Northern Spain of course, regions such as San Sebastian, Bilbao and Pamplona."
In the Basque region of northern Spain, Tapas are often referred to as Pinchos. More precisely, Pinchos are a form of Tapas, specifically those served on a piece of bread, and can be eaten in one mouthful.
Differences between the North and South
Different regions of Spain possess different Tapas cultures. Jorgi says: "There are different ways of eating in different parts of Spain, my favourite is Northern Spain of course, regions such as San Sebastian, Bilbao and Pamplona."
In the Basque region of northern Spain, Tapas are often referred to as Pinchos. More precisely, Pinchos are a form of Tapas, specifically those served on a piece of bread, and can be eaten in one mouthful.
The North and South have different Tapas selection cultures. Jordi says: "In the south, you need to first order a glass of wine, and the restaurant will then select a few dishes at random to go with your choice of alcohol, though of course you’re free to pick some dishes a la carte as well. In the north, you can select any dish displayed at the counter, in fact, just thinking about it is enough to make my mouth water! There are cold and hot dishes, large and small ones at the counter. Of course, the method of cooking and ingredients used vary. The South prefer frying fish and other seafood, while the North roasting or boiling.
Wine pairing is also slightly different, with Sherry the preferred option in the South, and cider and white wines such as Albariño and Txakoli the popular options in the North. Regions in Central Spain such as Madrid have different variations of Tapas as well, but overall speaking, dishes in the south and north are more renowned.”
As a Spanish citizen, Jordi especially enjoys having some Tapas before dinner. He says, “I remember back when I was an apprentice at San Sebastian’s 3-star Arzak Restaurant, we used to gather in groups and go on ‘Tapeo’ trips at night, having about 6 to 7 Tapas dishes before dinner. I miss that kind of life.”
Wine pairing is also slightly different, with Sherry the preferred option in the South, and cider and white wines such as Albariño and Txakoli the popular options in the North. Regions in Central Spain such as Madrid have different variations of Tapas as well, but overall speaking, dishes in the south and north are more renowned.”
As a Spanish citizen, Jordi especially enjoys having some Tapas before dinner. He says, “I remember back when I was an apprentice at San Sebastian’s 3-star Arzak Restaurant, we used to gather in groups and go on ‘Tapeo’ trips at night, having about 6 to 7 Tapas dishes before dinner. I miss that kind of life.”
This article was written by Tang Jie and translated by Foo Chay Yeow. Click here for the original version.
