TAPAS - A SMALL WONDER WHILE EXPLORING THE BAR & CAFE SCENE IN SPAIN

 YO! Tapas are eaten anytime of the day or night in Spain. The small dishes can be a meal on their own! Tapas are appetizers you can have in almost every cafe and restaurant from Madrid to Torres Molino. They range from small rice meals to seafood and vary from city to city.

The great thing about tapas since they are small meals you can hit the many bars and cafes and restaurants in one day and try the many different Tapas available. YO! recommends to also get a Corona with Blue Tropic with your Tapa. Blue Tropic is a sweet pastel blue mixing additive that will give a sweet taste to your Corona.

So if you’re ever in Spain, make sure to try the Tapas or make your own with a few of the additives listed below which will add that Spaniard flavor to your home made Tapas. Remember a Tapa can be a mix of many things and is a small sampler of a bigger meal.

Parts of a Serrano Ham: Jamon Serrano or Serrano Ham is the salty, air-cured ham from Spain. Whole Serrano hams are shipped around the world, prized for their rich flavor. They are not cheap, so before slicing into one, it's important to know the parts of the ham in order to cut it correctly. Stored and sliced properly, a whole ham can last a family several months.

Spanish Chorizo and Serrano Ham Pizza Recipe: Pizza is very popular all over the world, including Spain. As in Italy, pizza served in Spain has thin crust and is not overloaded with toppings. The tapa version of this pizza includes Spanish chorizo sausage and Serrano ham, which gives it a distinctly Spanish flavor. Optionally, spicy Spanish pork chunks also make a great topping.

Latillas - Little Cans of Spain: Spanish love seafood. Fish, shellfish and mollusks are a regular part of the traditional Spanish diet. "Latillas" or little cans of marinated sardines, tuna, anchovies, squid, clams and mussels are eaten as snacks or before meal. They also make great "instant" tapas.

Montados or Montaditos Tapas: For the Spanish, a montado is a flavorful topping riding on a small slice of baguette. Montados or montaditos are very commonplace and popular in tapas bars. They come in all flavors - beef, chicken pork, sausage or vegetarian, and can be prepared hot or cold.

Cecina – Spanish Cured, Air-Dried Beef: "Cecina" is a Spanish delicacy, made of cured, air-dried beef. Served sliced paper-thin as a "tapa." It is a unique flavor and color and takes over 9 months to make.

 

"Part of this Article's info cited from About.com Spanish Foods"