Tapas are Spanish snacks or appetizers. Calling tapas simple snacks is a disservice to the term, because the preparation and serving of traditional tapas, which have become quite popular here in the United States, is an art form – bright and colorful.http://flavorsandmore.com/2009/09/01/tapas-little-bite-big-flavor/ Tapas are created with aesthetic pleasure in mind, as well as gastronomic. Even if you have never eaten at a tapas restaurant or tapas bar, knowing how to plan a tapas party is a wonderful way to entertain.

Tapas restaurants are often referred to as tapas bars, because the food was originally eaten while standing up at a bar or tall table, not while sitting down. This is still the case in some tapas bars. http://www.aaa.com/eurotourbook/Barce061.html Even though that custom is not widely practiced anymore, the tradition of serving small plates of food instead of a full meal has carried on. Tapas are also termed “finger food,” to be eaten between larger meals. Modern tapas are now often eaten as lunch or as dinner, because the combination of many small plates of food can indeed create a full meal.

The history of tapas varies from tale to tale, but it is most consistently attributed to Spanish King Alfonso the 10th, who took ill and had to take little bites of food with some wine as small meals. Grateful for his recovery, the wise king had made a discovery and laid a decree upon the inns of the day in Castile – no wine was to be served without something to eat! And the tradition of wine and tapas was born. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFUVcjheFxA

Since Spaniards loved to drink wine but frequently did so on an empty stomach, the good king’s law of the land ensured improved health for his people and they felt much better when they went back to work in the fields or to their jobs. "Eat when you drink, drink when you eat" is the philosophy. http://www.tapas-recipes.com/

This bit of background may help you with your strategy for your tapas party – serve the tapas along with wine. http://www.arrakis.es/~jols/tapas/indexin.html In this informative page, you will learn how to simulate a tapas bar at home. If you provide your guests with superb food and drink, and add some lively Latin music in the background, you may inspire them to have a tapas party of their very own.

Tapas can be served hot or cold. There is literally a multitude of tapas recipes. http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/guides/tapas.php Each of them should be served in its own dish, the more colorful the better, and positioned so that guests can help themselves without the aid of serving tools or silverware. If you can, mix up the colors and patterns of the tapas platters, bowls and plates. http://flavorsandmore.com/2009/09/01/tapas-little-bite-big-flavor/ Since they are a distance apart, the brightly colored serving dishes will lend a festive touch to the party décor.

Even though some tapas at a restaurant may be served less as a snack and more like a casserole or other dish to be shared, you need party food. You want the food to look and taste great, but you also want to keep it simple.

For your party, encourage the age-old tradition of eating while standing up. Since conversation and “mingling” are two key elements to a successful party, what better way to encourage people to move around than to serve small amounts of food and drink at various “stations.” If possible, even if you need to use a long table, try to set the tapas dishes with a lot or room between them, so people can linger without holding up the other guests. This page will give you some specific ideas for cold and hot tapas, and easy ways to prepare them. You will ultimately have four hot tapas and four cold if you use this list, for a total of eight. The only other decision is the beverage. There is a strong assertion that Spanish wines or sherry should be served with tapas, but they are not always easy to find. http://appetizers-finger-food.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_throw_an_easy_tapas_party Here are some suggestions, but you may prefer to serve your own choice of red or white wine, or whatever other beverages your guests would enjoy:

Red or White Riojas http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/tapas-and-white-rioja

Cava, a sparkling white wine http://forums.winespectator.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5086097161/m/130104904

Jerez, or Sherry http://www.worldsofflavorspain.com/node/604

Other supplies – You are going to need a lot of toothpicks, in case you want to find and order some special or fancy ones. However, make sure you have a supply of wooden toothpicks for dishes that will be cooked with the toothpicks inserted. Select and stack cocktail napkins at each tapas station. If you think your guests will be more comfortable, also a stack of small plates. A generic wine glass, plastic or glass, should be offered with the open bottles of wine at the tapas stations.

Here are four specific suggestions for cold tapas. Dozens more are easily found on the Internet. You may also view the menus of tapas restaurants for further ideas.

1) Green olives and marinated roasted red bell pepper - A combination of green olives and marinated roasted red bell peppers, cut to bite size and served on toothpicks. Sprinkle with dried finely crushed oregano, if you like.

2) Serrano ham and melon – Cut chunks of cantaloupe and/or honeydew melon, wrapped with a piece of “Jamon serrono” (Serrano ham), and secure with a toothpick. Serrano ham is much like prosciutto if you need a substitute.http://www.orceserranohams.com/recipes/recipe002.htm

3) Chunks of sheep’s milk cheese on toothpicks. Traditional Spanish Manchego cheese is what is typically used, if you can find it. If not, any sheep’s milk cheese in chunks will give the intended flavor. One substitute might be French Feta, which is also a sheep’s milk cheese. Place a bowl of chunks of bread – baguettes or Italian – along with this.

4) Smoked fish in endive leaves – Combine ½ cup of sour cream with 1 tsp. horseradish, salt and ground pepper to taste. Mix well. Place mixture in small endive leaves. Top with your choice of anchovy filets, smoked trout, or other smoked fish. http://www.grandtimes.com/Terrific_Tapas.html

The same is true of hot tapas – there are hundreds. Interestingly, many menus that used to read “bar food” now read “tapas,” and you can find them from Hawaiian restaurants right down to Irish pubs. These suggestions, however, are for traditional Spanish tapas.

1) Sausage bites - using a flavorful sausage, such as chorizo, cut into bite-sized pieces, broil until just browned and sizzling, and serve on your tapas platter with a toothpick in each piece. You may serve mustard on the side for dipping purposes.http://spanishfood.about.com/od/tapas/u/tapas.htm

2) Dates and bacon - roll a pitted date (try to find Medjool dates) in a piece of bacon, place on cookie sheet, secure with a wooden toothpick, broil until bacon is crisp but not overdone, for about 2 minute, turn pieces over, broil for 2 minute more.http://www.chow.com/recipes/12718

3) Garlic mushrooms – Quickly sautée some minced garlic in olive oil and butter. Add a splash of white wine and stir. Add whole fresh mushrooms, minus the stems. Stir until mushrooms have soaked up the oil and wine. Sprinkle with a bit of sea salt and finely chopped fresh parsley. Cook for one minute, remove and transfer to a tapas bowl. Serve with one mushroom per toothpick.http://www.top-tour-of-spain.com/tapas-recipes.html

4) Spanish garlic shrimp – there are many recipes for this, all readily available. The Spanish name is Gambas al Ajillo. It is a standard on many tapas menus. The easiest and best recipe we could find is represented in our featured video, but it is “show and tell” so this is the recipe used. It is not difficult to find raw shrimp, uncooked, peeled, and this is what you will want to use. They may have their tails left on. This is a good thing, as they provide a handy handle, in case the guest doesn’t want to be bothered with the toothpick. 1/3 cup virgin olive oil 4 cloves of minced or pressed garlic 1 pound medium shrimp, about 25 count to the pound Pinch of ground cayenne pepper or 1 tsp. red pepper flakes Pinch of salt (they use sea salt) to taste 3 ounces of Cognac or Brandy

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add minced or pressed garlic. Heat for a minute or less, because garlic burns easily, just until it thickens up a bit. Add the shrimp, then the cayenne and sea salt, stir well, add 3 ounces of Cognac or Brandy. The chef adds a “flambé” finale to the dish. This is flashy, and does burn off some of the alcohol from the Cognac or brandy, but not absolutely necessary. Total cook time: 2 minutes

Remove from heat, transfer to a flat bowl along with the rest of the ingredients. Put a toothpick in each shrimp. Serve with a crisp dry white wine.