How to Host a Tapas Party

Photo by Ben30

So many people are intimidated by the idea of having guests over. When one mentions dinner party an image of slaving away in front of a hot stove for an entire evening comes to mind. If you are one of these folks, I suggest having a tapas party!

For those unfamiliar with tapas, they are a small Spanish dishes, brought to the table, and shared by everyone. Not only is the food spectacular, but the sharing of all the platters creates a warm intimate setting for you and your guests to enjoy.

Food

Naturally, the most important part of a tapas party is the food. The wonderful thing about making tapas is that most everything can be made ahead of time and there is very minimal cooking after the guests arrive. Tapas are meant to be served in bite sized portions. All the platters you fix should be similar in size to an appetizer you would order in a restaurant or you would snack on at a cocktail party.

What makes for good tapas? Marinated olives are an absolute must, and all the work that you do is go to the store! Tapenade with bread or crackers is a delicious choice that can be made the day before, and stored in the fridge. Par Boiling potatoes before hand, then pan frying them right before eating is a quick and tasty choice, that can be served alongside a dipping sauce. Meat or vegetables on skewers make cooking time quick, as the pieces are so small. Just remember when planning your menu; guests should not need to use a knife, and platters should be easy to share.

Black Olive Tapenade

• 10 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 (10 ounce) can black olives, drained
• 1 cup chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped basil
• 1 1/3 cup walnuts
• 3/4 cup olive oil

1. In a food processor add all ingredients. Grind until it is a finely ground paste.
2. Serve with toasted baguette slices and crackers.

Chorizo Rioja Tapas
Recipe from Recipezaar.

• 1 1/2 pound good quality chorizo
• 8 ounces rioja wine
• 5 black peppercorns
• 3 dried bay leaves
• Flat leaf parsley for serving

1. Prick the sausage all over and place in a dish.
2. Pour the wine over sausages and add peppercorns and bay leaves. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
3. Drain the chorizo sausage and cook them on a well oiled, medium-hot griddle pan for about 6 minutes each side, or until evenly browned and crispy.
4. Slice the sausage thickly and at an angle. Arrange on a serving platter.

For some more wonderful authentic tapas recipes check out Spain-Recipes and Tapas-Recipes.

Drink
Drinks are just as important as the food at any dinner party. Having some nice Spanish wine available for your guests is the perfect compliment to your bite sized meal. Check out this simple guide to Spanish wines for some very helpful information on choosing a wine.

If you really want to go all out, make your guests a nice big pitcher of Sangria. It is tasty, refreshing, and a great way to get the conversations rolling. Just make sure your guests aren’t planning on driving home for a while!

Sangria
Be warned, I like my Sangria strong. A little bit goes a very long way! If you prefer a little less alcohol, omit the white rum and brandy.

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle red wine, I use a Cabernet
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup white rum
• 1/2 cup spiced rum
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1 star anise pod
• 1/2 stick cinnamon
• 3 various fruits sliced into wedges or rings. I like using oranges, nectarines, lemons, limes, peaches, plus or grapes.

1. In large punch bowl or a large pitcher, add sliced fruits and sugar. Muddle with a wooden spoon to bring out juices.
2. Add remaining ingredients and refrigerate for at least two hours. Serve with slices of fruit in glasses.

On the Table

A tapas party does not require a formal table setting, but rather a bunch of small plates, some forks, perhaps even toothpicks. Much of the food will be eaten with fingers, so having plenty of paper napkins, or some nice cloth napkins is a necessity.

For decorations, keep it simple. A few candles, and a small vase with some sprigs of rosemary in it are great for setting atmosphere.

Music

You may already know what you and your guests would like to hear over your dinner. However, if you are going for a more authentic Spanish tapas party you will need to have some Spanish guitar or flamenco music. I suggest downloading Pepe Romero, Carlos Montoya, Paco Pena, Sabicas, or Sabu Martinez. Your guests will really be blown away by how much work you put into your dinner party!

Photo by Ben30

So darlings, phone up your friends and start planning your menu. Tapas parties are so fun with minimal effort on your part. Guests get a chance to enjoy a new eating experience while sitting in an intimate setting and enjoying good conversation. What could be better than that?

xoxo,
Cedar

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