Traditional Spanish Tapas Ingredients
... small items for small plates

Spanish Wine and Cheese Party!

Hey there, Tapas fans! I've put a list together for you of some of the traditional ingredients found in Spanish food for tapas. Don't worry if you can't find everything. Another great place to get good quality Spanish food is La Tienda. Check it out. If you love tapas, you'll love this list!

Tapas ingredients include:

Chorizo - is a pork and paprika sausage. For this ingredient, there are two types - the one you eat raw and the one you cook. They come in two flavors: dulce and picante: sweet or hot, according to the type of paprika used in the sausage. If in doubt, ask where you buy it. Most supermarkets stock it.

Lomo - is cured pork loin. You can get this at most supermarkets and/or your favorite meat market.

Manchego - is a popular Spanish cheese made from ewe's milk, and not dissimilar to parmesan in taste,
although it's much softer. This cheese is delicately flavored and goes very well with quince paste (membrillo). Both are usually stocked by delicatessens.

Membrillo - is a jelly-like paste sold in slabs or jars, and made from quinces. It has a slightly tart flavor which compliments cheeses such as Manchego.

Olives - are used abundantly as a tapas ingredient. They come in all shapes and sizes. The color tells you the ripeness of an olive. Green means it was picked early, black means very ripe. Spain is the largest producer of olives in the world.

Olive Oil - Spain is the world's largest producer of olive oil. Cheap olive oil is used for cooking and virgin or extra virgin for salads or serving as a dip with breads. Specialist Spanish oils like Arbequina (named after the variety of olive) are now exported. Here's a good tip: Don't cook using virgin olive oil - it's a waste and it makes the food too rich.

Paprika - is an ingredient used a lot in Spanish cookery, a leftover custom from the days of the Moorish occupation. There are two kinds - dulce and picante, meaning sweet or spicy. An interesting kind of paprika is called pimenton, which is a smoked paprika. It has a smoky, rich flavor.

I found a really informative site containing great tips about spices, herbs, and flavorings -
an encyclopedia of spice usage and history. It's a must read! Visit
The Epicentre and indulge your inner cook!

Pickled Chillis - are available in jars from supermarkets and delis. They are popular in Southern France and Northern Spain with cheese or meats.

Pimenton - See Paprika

Piquillo Peppers are sweet and highly prized. Piquillo peppers are only grown in one area of Spain, hence the price. They are usually sold in tins or jars. Ordinary roast peppers in a jar make a fair substitute.

Related Topics

Web www.easy-appetizer-recipes.com