Olive Oil from Spain/Page 2
Contact: Kristina Peterson
312-988-2112
Dave Lieberman’s Tips for
Hosting a Great Tapas Party
Looking for some inside advice on how to throw a great party?Experience the best flavors of Spainfirst hand by hosting a tapas party for your family and friends. This increasingly popular style of eating – serving a series of small plate dishes –is perfect for any casual occasion and will appeal to a variety of tastes. Celebrity chef Dave Lieberman offers these five easytips that can help you plan the ultimate tapas soirée.
1.SHOWCASE AUTHENTIC SPANISH FLAVORS -- WITH OLIVE OIL FROM SPAIN
- Great tapas dishes rely on genuine Spanish ingredients, such as Olive Oil from Spain.Use the rich flavors of Olive Oil from Spain to awaken and accentuate your tapas dishes natural flavors.
- Use as many Spanish ingredients as possible to give your tapas themost authentic taste and feel including fresh chorizo, olives, pimentón (Spanish smoked paprika), cheeses, saffron and roasted piqullo peppers, which are among the many Spanish ingredients available in the U.S.
2.PLANNING IS A PINCH
- Don’t know how much food to make? Put on your catering cap and go by these golden rules…6-8 bites per guest if you are hosting a cocktail party (1 ½ hour party), or 12-15 bites per guest for a tapas dinner party (3 hour party).
- Simplify your menu so you don’t spend all night in the kitchen. Tapas entertaining should be as fun for the host as it is for the guests. Focus on creating 5-6 tapas dishes that are easy and quick to fix and that can be prepared ahead of time.
3.MIX IT UP
- To please every palate at your party, offer a variety of tapas dishes that include vegetarian and meat offerings.
- Supplement your prepared tapas dishes with delicious no-cook items such as Spanish olives, Marcona almonds, or a simple cheese tray. This will help to augment the prepared dishes and provide your guests with some traditional, extra munchies!
4.SERVE WITH SIMPLICITY
- Tapas dining is casual,conversational and usually enjoyed at local bars in Spain. Make your home conducive to tapas entertaining by arranging furniture in small conversation areas so guests circulate among the food and each other.
- Place plates around your entertaining space and let people select what they want to eat. Simply place a small pile of napkins by each dish (no utensils required!) and watch your guests go to work.In Spain, it’s custom to use toothpicks or fingers to pick up tapas. Encourage your guests to do the same.
- Go green and invest in inexpensive,reusable, but festively colored plates and glasses. These items will add flair to your party, and you’ll avoid the waste…and cost… of disposable ones.
5.YOU SCREAM, I SCREAM, WE ALL SCREAM FOR…SANGRIA!
- No tapas party is complete without sangria. This delightful drink is easy to make; simply start with a couple of bottles of lighter-bodied red or white wine, add brandy and lots of fruit. You’ll notice that there won’t be an empty glass in the house! And, since you are going to mix the wine with several other flavorful ingredients there is no need to break the bank. A wine under$10should do the trick.
- Sangria is best served chilled. Allow guests to put ice into their own glasses to keep their drink cool. This will avoid watering down the larger pitcher of sangria by putting ice in it.