BARESCA - TAPAS FINE RESTAURANT IN NOTTINGHAM
Baresca is the newest venture of the Perkin’s family (Jon Perkins, David Perkins and Sarah Newham), they opened this new and fine tapas restaurant in Nottingham. Serving exciting tapas menus reflecting and revolving around the flavours of Spain and near Mediterranean neighbours.
This new place to eat is located on Byard Lane near the Lace Market Tram stop in the Nottingham city centre. It is a pretty cool place to hang out for a drink, a coffee, some tapas, and as it happens a leisurely brunch or dinner, the atmosphere is good, modern Spanish, laid back, and the staff is very attentive. The menu has many options for carnivores, pescatarians and vegetarian. With a good value set menu for £9.95
- Name: Baresca
- Address: 9 Byard Ln, Nottingham Byard Ln, UK
- Telephone: +44 115 948 3900
- Web: www.baresca.co.uk
- The Interior: The Ground Floor interior combines a modern take on the wonderfully evocative street markets scattered around Barcelona and the hustle and bustle of the nearby Old Town. baresca’s subterranean cellar bar brings a touch of Spain’s earthy bodega bars to Nottingham.
The industrial heritage of 9, Byard Lane has been honoured by touches of scaffolding, exposed piping and brickwork alongside the tones of a muted colour palette. On that canvas, baresca enjoys a compelling mix of contemporary and classic cues: think sparkling Italian marble tables aside alongside antique Spanish leather chairs given a new lease of life.
At the Ground Floor entrance, baresca’s Market Café has been designed to be enjoyed all day every day. Amid fresh herbs and produce flown in from Spain, early birds can enjoy baresca’s morning coffee – their own blend is freshly ground and expertly brewed by baresca’s trained baristas.
Continuing to place the theatre of food at the heart of the space, the light and airy First Floor enjoys the sights, sounds and smells of baresca’s vibrant open kitchen. The bar still occupies the same position, only now half of it has been turned in to an open plan kitchen where you can watch dish after dish being lined up on the pass.
The cellar, baresca’s basement hideaway, has been designed to communicate the nooks and crannies, street art and relaxed styling of Barcelona’s laid back bodegas. After dark, diners and drinkers can chill in lowly lit booths, sumptuous leather seating or at the inviting concrete topped bar. On Thursday and Friday evening, guests can enjoy the best of the city’s acoustic, jazz and funk sets.
- The Food: Baresca serves five different menus: breakfast, menu del dia, main menu, escabeanies menu and the cellar menu.
Served from 10am Sunday to Friday and 9am on Saturdays, baresca breakfast menu will feature a hearty ‘breakfast completo’, new flatbreads, patatas, chorizo, Catalan bread and eggs accompanied by that wonderful coffee.
At £9.95 for three courses, menu del dia is baresca’s high value lunch menu which replicates the Spanish model of offering visitors fantastic lunchtime quality at an affordable price: flatbreads, two tapas, a side, coffee and a sweet treat await.
baresca’s main menu features a wealth of individual dishes sourced directly from committed local and Spanish producers and suppliers, while the escabeanies breakfast and main menus offer gentle (nutritious) Mediterranean twists on classic kid’s food. Cellar9 has its own menu featuring cold meats, cheeses, flatbreads and more, specifically tailored to work in tandem with the bar’s extensive drinks offering.
baresca’s food benefits from a completely re-fitted kitchen replete with an imposing chargrill oven and the restaurant’s own Italian curing cabinet allowing the team to cure their own meats.
- The Drinks: Led by Bar Manager Will Haley, who was training at a top Barcelona drinks and cocktail school, highlights on baresca’s drinks list include their gin botanica range, their own organic beers, Spanish craft beers, cocktails and cavas, jerez and sherries as well as a fleet of wines hand-picked by the restaurant’s three owners.
BARESCA BREAKFAST COMPLETO
Your style of eggs, sausage, dry cured bacon, mushrooms, patatas, morcilla, tomato, chargrilled bread, coffee or tea & a fresh juice 9,95£
Baresca Flatbreads:
Their folded flatbreads are freshly prepared & stone baked to order; all served with brava sauce on the side egg v 4,25£ dry cured bacon 4,75£ dry cured bacon & egg 5,95£ sausage 4,75£ sausage & egg 5,95£ sausage, dry cured bacon & egg 6,50£
Breakfast:
- Croissant homemade jam v 2,25£
- Toasted fruit bread homemade jam v 2,25£
- Porridge with honey & almonds v 3,75£
- Baresca yoghurt pot with fruit compote & granola v 3,95£
- Catalan bread & manchego chargrilled bread with tomato, topped with manchego cheese 4,50£
- Catalan bread & eggs chargrilled bread with tomato, topped with two fried eggs v 4,95£
- Scrambled egg with fried onion, patatas, migas with chargrilled bread 5,95£
- Chorizo, patatas & eggs served with chargrilled bread 6,50£
- Scrambled egg with dry cured bacon & migas with chargrilled bread 6,50£
- Polenta fritters, tomato & scrambled egg with chargrilled bread v 5,50£
- Morcilla eggs benedict black pudding with poached eggs, chargrilled bread & hollandaise sauce 6,95£
- Scrambled egg & smoked salmon with chargrilled bread 7,95£
- Full baresca breakfast your style of eggs, sausage, dry cured bacon, mushrooms, patatas, morcilla, tomato, chargrilled bread 7,95£
- Jamón eggs benedict with truffled hollandaisehand carved bellota ham with poached eggs, chargrilled bread & truffled hollandaise sauce 9,50£
Barista coffee:
- A baresca barista coffee using a blend from our friends at 200˚ in Nottingham is the perfect way to ease your daily grind
- Espresso 1,80 / 2,40 cortado 2,00£
- Americano 2,20£ cappuccino 2,50£
- Latte 2,60£ café con leche 2,50£ mocha 2,70£ hot chocolate 2,70£ teas 2,75£
- Churros & chocolate Spanish doughnuts with chocolate sauce 4,75£
Freshly made cold drinks:
- Superfruit smoothie acai, blueberry, mango & strawberry 4,50£
- Goberry smoothie raspberry, blueberry & mango 4,50£
- Powergranate smoothie pomegranate, strawberry, blackcurrant & apple 4,50£
- Tropical smoothie pineapple, mango & papaya 4,50£
Milkshakes:
strawberry/banana/chocolate chip/toffee fudge all 4,50£
Cocktails & fizz:
- Baresca bucks bottle of house cava & a carafe of orange juice for two to share 28,00£
- Baresca bellini cava, peach puree, lemon, sugar 6,50£
- Bloody mary vodka, tomato juice, spices & amontillado sherry 7,00£
MENU DEL DIA
Meat:
- Pork bocatas slow cooked pork sliders, guindilla mayonnaise
- Charcuterie plate fennel & capers GF
- Chicken wings in a sweet chilli & sesame jam, coriander
- Baresca meatballs tomato sauce & parmesan GF
- Seared calf’s liver creamed potato, caramelised onions, brandy cream sauce GF
- Chorizo & patatas with fried egg
- Sautéed morcilla caramelised apple
Fish:
- Mussel, smoked salmon & leek gratin
- Mackerel escabeche salsa verde, crostini 5,50£
- Devilled whitebait aïoli
- Squid bocatas buttermilk fried squid sliders, aïoli
- Tuna salad potato, cucumber, red onion, olives, tomato, sherry vinegar dressing GF
- Fillet of hake rosemary potatoes, preserved lemon & green olives GF
Sides:
- Moroccan couscous sultanas, red onion, chilli, roast squash, yoghurt & almonds
- Baresca cauliflower cheese toasted almonds, chilli flakes
- Puy lentil chilli, piquillo pepper, feta & coriander GF
- patatas bravas
Vegetables:
- Smoked corn & chilli empanadillas watercress mayonnaise
- Pistou with fried egg & parmesanspiced ratatouille GF
- Polenta ‘chips’ mange tout & sesame salad, romesco sauce
- Mushroom risoni rice shaped pasta, mushrooms, parmesan & fresh herb cream sauce
Coffee & sweet treat *espresso or americano
MAIN MENU (FROM THE BAR)
Para picar:
- Baresca rosemary & sea salt focaccia with olive oil or aïoli 2,50£
- Marinated pitted olives GF v 2,85£
- Manzanilla olives GF 3,50
- Guindillas spicy pickled peppers GF 2,50£
- Home smoked marcona almonds GF 2,95£
- Spanish anchovies GF 2,95£
- Rosemary flatbread hummus, carrot & cumin dip 3,85£ / 7,50£
- Catalan bread chargrilled bread, fresh tomato 3,85£
- Padrón peppers with sea salt v 5,25£
- Heritage salad cherry tomatoes, purple & golden carrot, radish, beetroot, frisée lettuce, quail’s egg 4,75£
- Smoked corn & chilli empanadillas watercress mayonnaise v 3,75£
- Tuna salad potato, cucumber, red onion, olives, tomato, sherry vinegar dressing GF 4,95£
- Panzanella salad feta, tomato, olives, red onion, cucumber, sherry vinegar dressing, garlic croutons 3,95£
- Puy lentil chilli, piquillo pepper, feta & coriander salad v 3,50£
- Potato & onion tortilla GF 4,95£
- Prawn & chorizo tortilla GF 5,95£
- Jamón & spinach tortilla GF 5,95£
Frituras:
- Halloumi fritters tempura batter, guindilla mayonnaise 4,95£
- Chicken wings in a sweet chilli & sesame jam, coriander 5,95£
- Carrot & courgette fritters coriander & lime yoghurt, dukkha 3,75£
- Buttermilk fried squid lime & aïoli 5,50£
- Cheese croquettes 3,65 ham & cheese croquettes 3,95£
- Butternut squash croquettes 3,65£
Cold meats:
- Hand carved ibérico de bellota ham 50g GF 12,50£
- Jamón de teruel 18 month aged serrano ham 50g GF 7,50£
- Ibérico de bellota chorizo 50g GF 5,95£
- Spanish meats selection with fennel & capers GF 10,95£
- Chorizo paprika spiced ibérico pork sausage
- Salchichón ibérico pork & black peppercorn sausage
- Lomo artisan cured & smoked pork loin
- Jamón de teruel 18 month aged serrano ham
- Fuet traditional Catalan cured pork sausage
Cheese:
- Rio vero goats cheese handmade near the foot of the Pyrenees, served with fresh honeycomb & torta de aceite 7,50£
- Spanish cheese selection with focaccia & garnishes 10,50£
- Fuente los angeles creamy blue cheese, Valdeon valley
- Bonvallis aged rosemary sheeps cheese, La Mancha
- Laguna pasta blanda de oveja soft fresh sheeps cheese, Guadarrama mountains
- Castel morela mild semi-soft goats cheese, cave matured, Valencia
- Mahón moist cows milk cheese, Menorca
Baresca flatbreads:
- Baresca flatbreads inspired by the Catalan coca our flatbreads are freshly prepared to order & stone baked
- Garlic & mozzarella 3,95/7,50£
- Onion, pepper & thyme shallot purée 4,50/8,50£
- Tomato, mozzarella & fresh basil 4,50/8,50£
- Truffled mushroom shallot purée 4,95/9,50£
- Spanish anchovy tomato, olives, capers 4,95/9,50£
- Mozzarella, parmesan, red onion & thyme 4,95/9,50£
- Beetroot, goats cheese & thyme 4,95/9,50£
- Asparagus & goats cheese toasted almonds, truffle oil 5,25/9,95£
- Chorizo, mozzarella & tomato 5,50/10,50£
- Fuet sausage pepper, onion, blue cheese & chilli 5,50/10,50£
- Smoked bacon, mushroom, spinach truffle oil, parmesan, fried egg 5,50/10,50£
- Charcuteria chorizo, lomo, salchichón, chilli flakes, red onion, olives, tomato, pickled fennel, parmesan & manchego 6,50/11,95£
Selection boards:
- Mixed Catalan bread, chorizo, lomo, bonvallis, padrón peppers, ham & cheese croquettes 12,50£
- Cold meats & cheese chargrilled bread, olives, bonvallis, fuente los angeles, mahón, jamón de teruel, chorizo, fuet 11,95£
MAIN MENU (FROM THE KITCHEN)
Meat:
- Scotch egg shallot purée, basil oil 4,75£
- Baresca meatballs tomato sauce & parmesan GF 4,95£
- Baby chorizo glazed in honey & sherry vinegar GF 5,25£
- Moroccan lamb stew yoghurt & almonds GF 6,50£
- Moorish pork kebabs spicy red mojo GF 6,95£
- Chargrilled chicken breast spiced saffron, pine nut & almond sauce GF 6,95£
- Chorizo patatas & fried egg 5,50£
- Slow cooked pork fillet & pork cheek fritterceleriac purée, apple 7,95£
- Chargrilled beef skewers served rare with truffled mushrooms GF 5,95£
- Chargrilled fillet of lamb aubergine, shallot purée, smoked almonds & basil pesto GF 7,50£
- Slow braised Iberian pork cheek morcilla sausage, smoked bacon cabbage, creamed potato, jus GF 8,50£
Fish:
- Mackerel escabeche salsa verde, crostini 5,50£
- Seared salmon fillet in lime & coriander, chargrilled baby gem, harissa mayonnaise GF 6,95£
- Chargrilled octopus chorizo, potato, piquillo pepper & mint, spring onion & cucumber GF 6,75£
- Fillet of hake rosemary potatoes, preserved lemon & green olives GF 7,95£
- Seared king scallops with morcilla & cauliflower purée GF 7,95£
- Lemon & thyme breaded monkfish shallot purée, capers, gherkins & spring onion 8,50£
- Garlic & chilli prawns lemon & parsley butter GF 9,95£
Vegetables:
- Polenta ‘chips’ mange tout & sesame salad, romesco sauce 4,50£
- Potato tagine olives & harissa GF 4,50£
- Mushroom risoni rice shaped pasta, mushroom, parmesan & fresh herb cream sauce 4,50£
- Patatas bravas served with aïoli 3,75£
- Patatas parmesan served with aïoli 3,75£
- Moroccan couscous sultanas, red onion, chilli, roast squash, yoghurt & almonds 3,95£
- Baresca cauliflower cheese toasted almonds, chilli flakes 4,25£
- Chargrilled asparagus & fried duck egg chargrilled bread, toasted almonds, blue cheese sauce 5,95£
- Pistou with egg & parmesan spiced ratatouille, capers & fried egg GF 4,95£
- Chargrilled courgettes & goats cheese pan tostado salsa verde 4,50£
- Sweet potato gnocchi mushrooms, spinach, sage, parmesan & truffle butter 5,25£
ESCABEANIES MENU
Escabeanies breakfast:
4,95, small glass of fruit juice & baby hot chocolate choose from
pineapple salad with homemade sorbet
scrambled egg on toast
ham & cheese omelette
bacon or sausage bocatas
Escabeanies main menu:
5,95 dessert & small glass of
fruit juice, pepsi, lemonade or cordial
available 12-6.45pm every day
Choose from:
- Baby rice-shaped pasta cheese sauce & garlic bread
- Escabeanie burgers salad & fried potatoes
- Freshly made stone baked cheese & tomato pizzasalad
- Buttermilk fried chicken fried potatoes & salad
- Butternut squash croquettes garlic bread & salad
- Mildly spiced chicken in a peanut & almond sauce with Moroccan couscous
- Meatballs in tomato sauce baby rice-shaped pasta & garlic bread
For dessert:
- Chocolate brownie sundae
- Banana & peanut butter brownie sundae
- Churros chocolate sauce
- Choice of homemade ice cream
SPANISH TAPAS
Tapas (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈtapas]) are a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or hot (such as chopitos, which are battered, fried baby squid). In select bars in Spain, tapas have evolved into an entire, sophisticated cuisine. In Spain, patrons of tapas can order many different tapas and combine them to make a full meal. In some Central American countries, such snacks are known as bocas. In Mexico, the vegetarian varieties of similar dishes are called "botanas."
The serving of tapas is designed to encourage conversation, because people are not so focused upon eating an entire meal that is set before them. Also, in some countries it is customary for diners to stand and move about while eating tapas.
- History: The word "tapas" is derived from the Spanish verb tapar, "to cover," cognate to English top. Before the 19th century, European roads were in bad condition. Some were originally old Roman roads (viae romanae), some were trails dating from the Middle Ages. Travelling was slow and exhausting. Most people could not read or write, and Spain was no exception. Inns, called posadas, albergues or bodegas, grew up along the roads, offering meals and rooms, plus fresh horses for travellers. Since few innkeepers could write and few travellers read, inns offered their guests a sample of the dishes available, on a "tapa" (the word for pot cover in Spanish). In fact, a "tapa" was (and still is) a small portion of any kind of Spanish cuisine.
According to The Joy of Cooking, the original tapas were the slices of bread or meat which sherry drinkers in Andalusian taverns used to cover their glasses between sips. This was a practical measure meant to prevent fruit flies from hovering over the sweet sherry (see below for more explanations). The meat used to cover the sherry was normally ham or chorizo, which are both very salty and activate thirst. Because of this, bartenders and restaurant owners created a variety of snacks to serve with sherry, thus increasing their alcohol sales. The tapas eventually became as important as the sherry.
Tapas have evolved through Spanish history by incorporating new ingredients and influences. Most of the Iberian Peninsula was invaded by the Romans, who introduced the olive and irrigation methods. The discovery of the New World brought the introduction of tomatoes, sweet and chili peppers, maize (corn) and potatoes. These were readily accepted and easily grown in Spain's microclimates.
There are many tapas competitions throughout Spain. There is only one National Tapas competition, which is celebrated every year in November. Since 2008, the City of Valladolid and the International School of Culinary Arts have celebrated the International Tapas Competition for Culinary Schools. Various schools from around the world come to Spain annually to compete for the best tapa concept.
- Etymology: Though the primary meaning of tapa is cover or lid, it has in Spain also become a term for this style of food. The origin of this new meaning is uncertain but there are several theories:
As mentioned above, a commonly cited explanation is that an item, be it bread or a flat card, etc., would often be placed on top of a drink to protect it from fruit flies; at some point it became a habit to top this "cover" with a snack.
It is also commonly said that since one would be standing while eating a tapa in traditional Spanish bars, they would need to place their plates on top of their drinks to eat, making it a top.
Some believe the name originated sometime around the 16th century when tavern owners from Castile-La Mancha found out that the strong taste and smell of mature cheese could help disguise that of bad wine, thus "covering" it, and started offering free cheese when serving cheap wine.
Others believe the tapas tradition began when king Alfonso X of Castile recovered from an illness by drinking wine with small dishes between meals. After regaining his health, the king ordered that taverns would not be allowed to serve wine to customers unless it was accompanied by a small snack or "tapa".
Another popular explanation says that King Alfonso XIII stopped by a famous tavern in Cádiz (Andalusian city) where he ordered a cup of wine. The waiter covered the glass with a slice of cured ham before offering it to the king, to protect the wine from the beach sand, as Cádiz is a windy place. The king, after drinking the wine and eating the tapa, ordered another wine "with the cover".
A final possibility surrounds Felipe III, who passed a law in an effort to curb rowdy drunken behavior, particularly among soldiers and sailors. The law stated that when one purchased a drink, the bartender was to place over the mouth of the mug or goblet a cover or lid containing some small quantity of food as part of the purchase of the beverage. The hope being that the food would slow the effects of the alcohol, and fill the stomach to prevent over imbibing.
SPANISH EATING CUSTOMS
In Spain, dinner is usually served between 9 and 11 p.m. (sometimes as late as midnight), leaving significant time between work and dinner. Therefore, Spaniards often go "bar hopping" (Spanish: Ir de tapas) and eat tapas in the time between finishing work and having dinner. Since lunch is usually served between 1 and 4 p.m., another common time for tapas is weekend days around noon as a means of socializing before proper lunch at home.
It is very common for a bar or a small local restaurant to have eight to 12 different kinds of tapas in warming trays with glass partitions covering the food. They are often very strongly flavored with garlic, chilies or paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, saffron and sometimes in plentiful amounts of olive oil. Often, one or more of the choices is seafood (mariscos), often including anchovies, sardines or mackerel in olive oil, squid or others in a tomato-based sauce, sometimes with the addition of red or green peppers or other seasonings. It is rare to see a tapas selection not include one or more types of olives, such as Manzanilla or Arbequina olives. One or more types of bread are usually available to eat with any of the sauce-based tapas.
In Andalucia and certain places in Madrid, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, Asturias, Extremadura, when one goes to a bar and orders a drink, often a tapa will be served with it for free. As a drink, it is usual to ask for a caña (small beer), a chato (glass of wine) or a mosto (grape juice). In several cities, entire zones are dedicated to tapas bars, each one serving its own unique dish. In León, one can find the Barrio Húmedo, in Logroño Calle Laurel and in Burgos Calle de la Sombrerería and Calle de San Lorenzo.
Sometimes, especially in northern Spain, they are also called pinchos (pintxos in Basque) in Asturias, in Navarre, in La Rioja (Spain), the Basque Country, Cantabria and in some provinces, such as Salamanca, because many of them have a pincho or toothpick through them. The toothpick is used to keep whatever the snack is made of from falling off the slice of bread and to keep track of the number of tapas the customer has eaten. Differently priced tapas have different shapes or have toothpicks of different sizes. The price of a single tapa ranges from one to two euros. Another name for them is banderillas (diminutive of bandera "flag"), in part because some of them resemble the colorful spears used in bullfighting.
Tapas can be "upgraded" to bigger portions, equivalent to half a dish (media ración) or a whole one (ración). This is generally more economical when tapas are being ordered by more than one person. The portions are usually shared by diners, and a meal made up of raciones resembles a Chinese dim sum, Korean banchan or Middle Eastern mezze.
COMMON SPANISH TAPAS
- Aceitunas: Olives, sometimes with a filling of anchovies or red bell pepper
- Albóndigas: Meatballs with sauce
- Allioli: "Garlic and oil" the classic ingredients are only garlic, oil and salt, but the most common form of it includes mayonnaise and garlic, served on bread or with boiled or grilled potatoes, fish, meat or vegetables.
- Bacalao: Salted cod loin sliced very thinly, usually served with bread and tomatoes
- Banderillas or pinchos de encurtidos: Are cold tapas made from small food items pickled in vinegar and skewered together. They are also known as gildas or piparras and consist of pickled items, like olives, baby onions, baby cucumbers, chiles (guindilla) with pieces of pepper and other vegetables. Sometimes they include an anchovy.
- Boquerones: White anchovies served in vinegar (boquerones en vinagre) or deep fried
- Calamares or rabas: Rings of battered squid
- Carne mechada: Slow-cooked, tender beef.
- Chopitos: Battered and fried tiny squid, also known as puntillitas
- Cojonuda (superb female): A kind of pincho, it consists of a slice of Spanish morcilla with a fried quail egg over a slice of bread. It is very common in Burgos, because the most well-known and widespread Spanish morcilla is from there. It can also be prepared with a little strip of red, spicy pepper.
- Cojonudo (superb male): A kind of pincho, it consists of a slice of Spanish chorizo with a fried quail egg over a slice of bread.
- Chorizo al vino: Chorizo sausage slowly cooked in wine
- Chorizo a la sidra: Chorizo sausage slowly cooked in cider
- Croquetas: a common sight in bar counters and homes across Spain, served as a tapa, a light lunch, or a dinner along with a salad
- Empanadillas: Large or small turnovers filled with meats and vegetables[10]
- Ensaladilla rusa: (Olivier salad), made with mixed boiled vegetables with tuna, olives and mayonnaise
- Gambas: prawns sauteed in salsa negra (peppercorn sauce), al ajillo (with garlic), or pil-pil (with chopped chili peppers)
- Mejillones rellenos: Stuffed mussels, called tigres ("tigers") in Navarre because of the spicy taste
- Papas arrugadas or papas con mojo (see Canarian wrinkly potatoes) (Canary Islands): Very small, new potatoes boiled in salt water similar to sea water, then drained, slightly roasted and served with mojo, a garlic, Spanish paprika, red pepper, cumin seed, olive oil, wine vinegar, salt and bread miga (fresh bread crumbs without the crust) to thicken it
- Patatas bravas or papas bravas: Fried potato dices (sometimes parboiled and then fried, or simply boiled) served with salsa brava a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes served also with mayo or aioli
- Pimientos de Padrón: Small green peppers originally from Padrón (a municipality in the province of A Coruña, Galicia) that are fried in olive oil or served raw, most are mild, but a few in each batch are quite spicy.
- Pulpo a la gallega (Galician-style octopus): Or polbo á feira (octopus in the trade fair style) in Galicia, is cooked in boiling water (preferably in a copper cauldron or pan) and served hot in olive or vegetable oil. The octopus pieces are seasoned with substantial amounts of paprika, giving it its recognisable red color, and sea salt for texture and flavour.
- Pincho moruno (Moorish spike): A stick with spicy meat, made of pork, lamb or chicken
- Queso con anchoas: Castilla or Manchego cured cheese with anchovies on top
- Raxo: Pork seasoned with garlic and parsley, with added paprika, called zorza
- Setas al Ajillo: Fresh mushrooms sauteed with olive oil and garlic.[11]
- Solomillo a la castellana: Fried pork scallops, served with an onion and/or Cabrales cheese sauce
- Solomillo al whisky: Fried pork scallops, marinated using whisky, brandy or white wine and olive oil
- Tortilla de patatas (Spanish omelette) or tortilla española: A type of omelet containing fried chunks of potatoes and sometimes onion
- Tortilla paisana: a tortilla containing vegetables and chorizo (similar to frittata)
- Tortillitas de camarones (Andalusia): Battered prawn fritters
- Zamburiñas: Renowned Galician scallops (Chlamys varia), often served in a marinera, tomato-based sauce
REGIONAL VARIATIONS
The term tapas narrowly refers to a type of Spanish cuisine, but it is also used more broadly to refer to any similar format dining. This is referred to more formally as small plates, but tapas is common. Such dishes are traditionally common in many parts of the world, and have become increasingly popular in the English-speaking world since about 2000, particularly under the influence of Spanish tapas.
- North America and the United Kingdom: Upmarket tapas restaurants and tapas bars are common in many cities of the United States, Mexico, Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom. As with any cuisine exported from its original country, there can often be significant differences between the original Spanish dishes and the dishes as they are served abroad.
- Mexico: In Mexico, there are not many tapas bars. However, the "cantinas botaneras" come close to the Mexican version of a tapas bar, but they operate on a very different business model. The appetizers (botanas) keep coming as long as the patron keeps ordering beer, liquor or mixed drinks. The more the patron drinks, the more he or she eats. These establishments, some over a hundred years old, such as La Opera, are particularly popular around the Centro Historico in Mexico City, but there are similar cantinas farther out in Coyocan or even in somewhat nearby cities like Xalapa, Veracruz.
- Argentina: Picada is a type of tapas eaten in Argentina, usually involving only cold dishes, such as olives, ham, salami and different types of cheese.
- Brazil: Tira-gostos (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈt͡ʃiɾɐ ˈɡostʊs]) or petiscos ([peˈt͡ʃiskʊs]) are served in the bars of Brazil and typical as tapas-like side dishes to accompany beer or other alcoholic drinks. The better bars tend to have a greater variety, and rarer, more traditional, dishes (using, for example, lamb or goat meat, which are relatively uncommon in the diet of urbanites in southern Brazil).
People from the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, which had the most Portuguese and the second-most Spanish immigration in Brazil, are among those who are most proud of their bar culture as a symbol of the city's nightlife, but bars that serve a variety of tapas-like side dishes are common in all state capitals and cities with more than 700,000 inhabitants.
Many tapas typical of Spanish cuisine that are rarer dishes in Portugal are more easily found in Brazil, due to the presence of the cultural heritage of the Spanish Brazilians as a result of immigration.
- Venetian cicchetti: Cicchetti are small tapas-like dishes served in cicchetti bars in Venice, Italy. Venetians typically eat cicchetti for lunch or as late-afternoon snacks.
- Asia: In Korea, drinking establishments often serve anju (안주) of various types, including meat, seafood, and vegetables. In Japan, izakaya are drinking establishments that serve accompaniments similar to tapas. In the Philippines, the term tapa has come to refer to a traditional dish of salt-cured beef served at breakfast.
Sources consulted:
- www.westbridgfordwire.com
- www.frusheronfood.co.uk
- www.eatmidlands.com
- www.thenottinghambucketlist.com
- www.thefoodface.wordpress.com
- www.wikipedia.org