Tapas are small savory dishes, similar to appetizers, typically served at a bar with your drink. They're not any particular type of food as long as they're small and served with your drink. They may be cold or hot. Tapas are most often thought of as Spanish but they don't have to be. Morrocans serve cous cous, falafel, and kebabs as tapas. In Spain, tapas have evolved into a sophisticated cuisine. Those who "go out for tapas" typically visit many bars and have one tapa at each bar with their drink. The tapa can be a smaller version of an entree on the menu (normally a 1/4 portion) or it can be sold exclusively as a tapa. I'm planning a family gathering for tapas so my research has begun. Here are some examples that will make your mouth water. 1. Bacon wrapped Medjool Date, cream cheese or goat cheese, jalapēno 2. Steak Crostini...recipe: http://www.paultuorto.com/giustogusto/teres-tapas/ 3. Shrimp in a sweet red pepper sauce with a kick
I've had a vegetarian garlic tapas in Latvia. There is a restaurant in Riga that serves every dish with garlic, even desserts if you feel so inclined. We were looking for something to have as a filling snack alongside some dark Latvian beer and the tapas was perfect. Admittedly, one could probably have felled an elephant at fifty paces afterwards, but luckily there were no elephants in the streets of Riga that evening.
haha, Tom. Did you happen to go to Kiploku Krogs located down a narrow street in the heart of the Old City of Riga in Latvia and close to the Three Sisters (historic buildings)? Here is one of their shrimp tapas. I imagine the flat-leaf Italian parsley is to insure good breath after the garlic.
The very place. Warm May evening, lovely setting, good food, good beer, sitting outside watching the world drift by. It doesn't get much better.
How charming. Thank you for sharing that as it sounds so pleasant…..and delicious too. Garlic makes everything taste better. Here are tapas from Mezon, a Latin tapas bar in Danbury Connecticut. Here is their website and Tapas Menu: http://mezonct.com/menu.html The link also includes photos of their tapas.
This is one I've been to a few times when visiting my son in Illinois. In fact on one visit 4 yrs ago they announced to me they were going to have a third child. Can't remember if it was before the meal or after the meal. http://www.modestotapas.com/our-menu/
They have some delicious looking tapas there, Chrissy! Here are some they serve for their Happy Hour and they also have those bacon wrapped dates/cheese shown in post #1.
Here in Hawaii we have an equivalent to tapas it's called pupus. It's served with drinks locally and can be quite big like fried noodles. Here is one favorite one called poke pronounced poe key. It's raw fish usually ahi or aku with a variety of sauces and other mixes. I myself like all kinds of finger foods like cheese on top of crackers to elaborate fancy grilled foods. image from http://www.healthyhappyrecipes.com/2013/04/hawaiian-tuna-poke-my-style.html Here is a Chinese elaborate pupu platter filled with little sish cabobs to savor. Best is you can eat a little bit of everything. image from http://frombehindtheopentable.blogspot.com/2010/11/blue-ribbon-birthdays-are-best.html For more information about Hawaii's pupu dishes is this book by Jean Watanabe Hee. image from http://www.mutualpublishing.com/shop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=15.
^ Krissttina, those look delish! ^ And it's fun to see "tapas" with a tropical twist. I might have to move to Hawaii (I would if I didn't have responsibilities here). Here are a some tapas from Mezon in Danbury Connecticut:
Can't see my pictures? Your Pictures? Both? Can you see other pictures? Maybe it has something to do with updating Adobe Flash? Wait…I think Adobe Flash is only for videos. Maybe google your question and include what type of computer you're using and browser? Maybe they're not supported in Hawaii? Youtube does that sometimes. hmmm what to do.
My computer is slower now and now that I've been online and added Microsoft security essential I can see your delicious pictures...one looks like scallops..what is the second one?
Oh good for you Krissttina. Glad you can see the pictures now. I think the second one might be small meat pies with mexican spices because there's guacamole with it. I think the first one might be a teriyaki type beef sitting on something mysterious to me. I can't quite figure it out. At first I thought it was polenta or a pasta wrapped around a filling.
Whatever it is I'm sure it's delicious! But you know I must confess something, I'd order those little platters that local supermarket makes and not worry about cooking or baking it. Other supermarkets have their specialty all during the year...just order and pick up!