La Giralda in Sevilla
Nothing evokes Spanish dreams more than an evening of good wine, glowy candles, great company and an array of colorful tapas. Inspired by a casual evening at La Abaceria in Ferran Adrià’s Hacienda Benazuza in Seville, our Spanish Wine Tasting and Tapas evening is great for a get together with multiple families or a fun evening with your own.
Tapas (singular, “tapa”), the small plate tradition from Spain, were originally small snacks served as “lids” top of wine glasses to keep flies away! These compact bites are designed to inspire conversation, as opposed to just accompanying it, and are also a fun way to gently introduce new and interesting foods to kids.
SET THE MOOD
We’re all about subtle suggestions of a destination and not throwing an all out theme party. Since tapas is all about the food, keep it simple – just like a real tapas restaurant – and decorate with unscented soy votives or LED candles in colorful glass jars, to create a warm, festive twinkle amongst the wine bottles and glasses. We like to use a few deep red glassybabies or go all out with lots of inexpensive red or jewel colored votive holders from cudge.net. If you’re having guests over, try some of these too:
Soundtrack
We like the Flamenco Chill Sessions album for a hip, modern take on the flamenco sound. In the same genre try Chill n’Flamenco. On the more traditional side, check out Barcelona Nights: The Best of Ottmar Liebert, !Volare! by the Gipsy Kings, or try the Spain Flamenco Fusion playlist for a mix of old and new Spanish grooves.
Favors
Send your guests of all ages home with a few Regina Umbrella Candies from Portugal (pictured above), or a handful of Spanish candies wrapped in cellophane and red and green ribbon. Use more to decorate some of the wine glasses you set out.
THE MENU
The Wines
Spanish wine is a treasure trove of affordable luxury, and it’s worth the time to seek out some inexpensive gems that will become regulars at your dinner table! We suggest you try at least one wine from each category if you have company, or just compare a few reds (vinos tintos) side by side if it’s only you and your immediate family. Spanish wines are a little harder to come by than French or Italians, but you can find all of these wines online or seek out similar ones locally.
Authenticity note: Wine accompanying tapas is traditionally served in stemless glasses, but we prefer to serve our wine in thin-rimmed stemmed glasses for tasting purposes! Learn more about Spanish wines here and about Spanish grape varieties here.
Finos/Manzanillas
Cava
Vino Blanco
Vino Tinto
For the kids/non-drinkers
Sip on a granizado de limón or try this Mock Sangria recipe for the kids or non-drinking adults (courtesy CIAkids):
Combine equal parts orange juice, cranberry juice, and sparkling cider together. Slice a few oranges, limes, and lemons into 1/4 segments and add to the juice mixture, along with some maraschino cherries. Prepare this mixture one to two hours prior to the party to let the flavors mix well. Serve in cups with slices of orange and maraschino cherries.
The Food
Tapas is all about the food and the company, so collect up your favorite small dishes and platters and serve the tapas on gloriously mismatched china, or go authentic and serve food in clay cazuelas from The Spanish Table or La Tienda. Serve all foods on toothpicks or bamboo picks, or cut into small squares, and provide lots of small plates, cocktail napkins, forks and wineglasses.
Cold tapas can be set out before guests arrive and hot tapas can be prepared ahead then warmed in the oven in waves as needed . Note: Many tapas are already kid friendly, like meatballs and croquetas, but for the sake of little mouths you may want to dial down the heat on spicy dishes.
Tapas Frias (Cold Tapas)
Spanish cheese plate with Manchego, Idiazabal, Bleu de Basque, Mahon, Vall de Cati or Agour Espellette (more Spanish cheese ideas). Serve on a platter with honey and almonds.Tapas Calientes (Hot Tapas)
Postres (Dessert)
Desserts that can be made the day before are a great choice for a tapas dinner, as you will have a lot going on in the kitchen on the day itself. Serve desserts in tiny portions to continue the small bites theme, and encourage guests to try each one!
Our current favorites are Dulce de Leche brownies, or the more traditional Tarta de Manzana. If you still have free hands to cook at the end of dinner, try these fabulous and easy El Bulli fruit-meringue kebabs by Ferran Adria himself!
THE REAL DEAL
Stay at the beautiful and historic Hacienda Benazuza in Seville, a city renowned for its tapas. Owned by the one of the world’s most esteemed chefs, Ferran Adria (of El Bulli fame), this five star hotel is very family friendly, and they also offer cots, babysitting and specially prepared food for picky eaters. Insider tip: You can also avoid the year plus waiting list for El Bulli by staying here and sampling some of the retired El Bulli dishes in the restaurant La Alqueria, which itself has two Michelin stars.
–Fiona VanAlstyne is a Hip Travel Mama contributor and Luxe Food&Wine editor.
If you are passionate about food like us, stop by Wanderlust and Lipstick each week for WanderFood Wednesday, where you will find amazing pictures and food that will inspire you to travel the world and bring the world’s cuisine a bit closer in your own kitchen!