Spanish tapas makes for a merry meal

Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Spaniards will recall tapas not only from its taste but the atmosphere it brings with it.

Tapas consist of a rich variety of delicious light meals, or hors d'oeuvres, that usually serve as an accompaniment to a drink with friends or family in loud conversation at a bar, a restaurant, by the beach, or at home while watching a soccer match.

Chef Migel Fernandez from Melia La Caleta, Cadiz, Spain, explained that this century-old hors d'oeuvre is a popular traditional treat, usually served to precede lunch or dinner.

"Tapas are various light meals (not the main course), served in small portions. Normally you eat one or two different kinds of tapas before actually eating lunch," he explained during the tapas promotion at Gran Melia hotel in Jakarta early in October.

The variety of tapas in Spain are endless, comprising various fresh and delicious flavors -- sweet, slightly bitter, sour and salty.

Each family can create their own tapas. "A lot of ingredients are used to make tapas and we never use just a couple of cooking materials," Migel said.

All kinds of meat -- beef, chicken, octopus, fish and other seafood are used. In the coastal areas, locals cook their tapas with seafood as the main ingredient, while in the central part of the country, tapas are cooked with meat.

Other common ingredients in tapas are fresh tomato, asparagus, mushroom, artichoke, grilled red pepper, onion and garlic. While for the marinades or the sauces, vinegar, mayonnaise and olive oil are among the ingredients popularly used.

The meals are usually prepared in different ways: grilled, baked, roasted, fried and boiled. Some tapas are served cold or tapas frias, others are served hot, called tapas calientes.

The kind of tapas served usually depends on the regions and the climate. In the northern area where the weather is colder locals serve spicy tapas, while in the southern regions where the climate is warmer locals often prepare cold tapas.

"However, this is not a strict rule. Southerners also consume hot tapas. It's also common to eat cold and hot tapas at the same time," Migel said.

"In the north, spicy ingredients are added and the sauces are stronger. There, you eat it to keep you warm," Migel said.

"While in the south, a lot of vegetables are used, mushroom, artichoke and seafood. The sauces in general are less spicy," he added.

Gran Melia Jakarta's executive assistant manager Jose Luis Calle added that in his country, tapas are often like a "free" meal to accompany a couple of glasses of beer, wine or sangria, a traditional Spanish drink made of apple juice, lemon juice, orange juice, brandy, red wine and casera, a kind of sweet soda.

"We just order a drink and take one or two servings of tapas to munch on while talking during lunch," he said.

But, Jose added that tapas can also be eaten as the main meal for lunch or diner. "Usually having four or five small portions of different kinds of tapas is already satisfying and you don't need a "real" lunch or dinner afterwards."

These light meals are of Spanish origin but Migel explained that several neighboring countries, namely Portugal, France and Italy do have traditional food that is similar to tapas.

Based on the above mentioned criteria, some other main course dishes that are light but can be served in small portions to accompany a drink can also be called tapas. These dishes include paella, Spain's classic saffron rice dish with seafood and chicken.

After the promotion, these light meals will be available at the restaurant's Spanish corner.