A Sampling of Spanish Tapas

Special events in the tea room came to a screeching halt with the advent of Covid complete with an across the board shutdown in early March. Mid-June, restaurants in PA were allowed to open at 50% capacity only to be restricted to 25% capacity shortly thereafter. The challenges of being a small business during this global crisis certainly weighs on all entrepreneurs. Many events have been reduced in size, and creativity has become the name of the game. We were excited to be able to present a sampling of Spanish Tapas in early August with seating both inside the tea room and outside under the pavilion. It was a blessing to enjoy a balmy summer evening nestled between two rainy days!
Tapas are small appetizers served in the pubs and casual dining places throughout Spain. They were originally served on small plates that would be placed on top of the beverage as it was carried out to the table. Some Tapas are complimentary in an effort to encourage the purchase of more beer or wine. Several different cookbooks were utilized as a resource for the Tapas recipes. Both the Tapas book and The Food & Wines of Spain were authored by Penelope Casas. They are a great reference for a variety of tapas.

The first course featured a cup of Gazpacho Andaluz with homemade croutons and veggie toppers. This cold tomato soup is typically found in southern Spain where the chilled soup is a welcome relief on hot sunny days. Two types of olives graced the plate - olives marinated in thyme (aceitunas al tomillo) and olives marinated in a spicy blend of herbs influenced by the Moors (aceitunas a la Sevillana). The little puff pastry encased spicy sausage pieces (Chorizo en hojaldre). A glass of chilled Sangria rounded out this course.

The second course included Pincho Moruno or Miniature Moorish Kabobs; pork cubes marinated in a spicy blend of herbs and spices. There was a coleslaw type dish, Ensalada de Repollo that was a mixture of cabbage, green pepper and raisins in a light olive oil and vinegar dressing. Patatas Alioli, a potato salad with homemade garlic mayonnaise completed this dish. 

Ensalada de Pollo, or Chicken Salad was featured in the next course. The chicken salad was made using slow roasted chicken and included apples, pears, celery, and red pepper. Accompanying the chicken salad were Sliced Eggs with a garlic & parsley sauce or Huevos Duros en Alino. Dessert was an Apple Tart, Tarta de Manzana. Angelica Brill presented a program on the food, culture, and customs of Spain. She spoke in between each course, bouncing from inside the tea room to under the pavilion, and included information about each course, her linguistic studies and shared a few Spanish tongue twisters. Don Quixote statuary graced the tables, along with red and yellow carnations representing the colorful Spanish flag.