TAPAS – COOKING SCHOOL IN SPAIN
A shameless love of food
Tapas reflects the Spanish approach to living a shameless love of food because it gives you the green light to sample a lot of different dishes in a short period of time. If you don’t like something you just move on to the next thing. For example, if you hate the atmosphere of the bar you’re in, there are hundreds more bars serving more tapas around the corner. And, if you love what you’re eating, you can always come back tomorrow.
Tapas is not a particular type of food but rather it’s portion size. Anything can be a tapa from paella, croquettes, cheese and even gefilte fish. As long as its small and served before lunch or dinner with a cold beer or a good glass of Rioja wine then it’s a tapa.
The Tapeo
In Spain everyone is invited to the ‘’Tapeo’’, which is a movable soiree that involves hopping from one tapas bar to the next. It’s all about food, drink, fun, spontaneous introductions, old friends and new lovers gathered together over glasses of Rioja and tapas. All this chased with laughter, music and Flamenco dancing. Watch out for the special tapas cities where the tapa just comes unprompted… with a drink of course. There is also the ‘’Tapas del dia’’. This is where the establishment will serve daily specials based on local fresh produce from the market that day.
The jewel of the Spanish Basque Country
San Sebastian is the jewel of the Spanish Basque Country. It is a small and cosy but elegant city that features one of the most beautiful in-city beaches and bays in the world. We call this bay La Concha, which means ‘’the Shell’’. Beside its multiple Michelin Star Restaurants, there are hundreds of tavernas serving the famous Pintxos’’. The Basque Country have a different approach to tapas. For a start they are called ‘’Pintxos’’ and rather than being served for free with a drink, they are picked up off a fantastic display across the bar. Counting the number of cocktail sticks you have on your plate at the end of the evening tells the barman how much to charge.
Aya Gourmet Food and Travel offer a big range of TT’s (aka‘ Tapas Tours)’ from May to October across Spain. We can create bespoke tapas tours depending on your taste and budget. It’s and ideal trip for a group of friends or colleagues. We also offer a 14 day Tapas Tour that starts in Andalusia and ends in the Basque country. You will learn from the best local chefs how to prepare Spains best tapas or pintxos. Make 2012 your tapas year and come and enjoy a good tapeo with us in Spain….