Food to Share Spanish-Style
Forty years ago, I was just returning to Goshen from a year in Barcelona, Spain. It was my first time visiting the Iberian Peninsula, though growing up I had friends from that area. I was in college, still not settled down, in love with traveling, and a year on the Mediterranean coast sounded amazing. Though I had not studied Spanish formally, once in Barcelona, my French-tuned ear easily picked up the similar words and expressions of Castilian Spanish. I lived two blocks from the impressive Sagrada Familia cathedral and soon learned to navigate the city neighborhoods to find what I needed. I slowly took on the rhythms of life in this second largest Spanish city and that meant later mealtimes than what we are used to here. Breakfast at 9, lunch at 2:30, supper at 9 became the norm. And sometimes I stopped for tapas on the way home from school around 5 or 6 to tide me over.
The front door to my apartment building in Barcelona, Spain
If you have been to Spain, you know what I’m talking about. Tapas are small bite sized foods that you eat along with wine, and often share in the company of friends. It’s a little bit like having your appetizer on the way home to supper. In many parts of Barcelona small places with often only two or three tables offered tapas on a long wooden counter. I liked to walk down to the old city barrio and find a hidden spot along the narrow cobblestone streets. With a small plate in hand, I would peruse the counter and pick out my favorites then sit down, or stand at the counter, with friends. I often ordered Tortilla de patatas (potato omelet, often served with Manchego cheese) and Calamari Fritos (fried baby squid), along with green olives and Pan con tomate (bread with tomato). Big wooden barrels of wine with spigots lined the wall. I ordered the one I wanted and got a small glass for the equivalent of $1. Or a table would order a Porrón of wine, a glass bottle with a spout to share between friends. The tapas were delicious but it was also about the gathering of friends and the words and time shared.
Since those days, I have returned to Barcelona and other Spanish towns like Girona and Valencia. When I visit, I always make a stop at the tapas shop. I’ve found my favorite in each of those towns. But when I am here in Goshen, I’ve come up with my own set of tapas to make and eat. And somehow I don’t feel as far away from the Mediterranean. Some recipes are pretty involved and some are pretty easy but mainly, it’s about sitting down to a table and sharing these small plates with others. I sometimes dream of having a tapas place here in Goshen…
In the meantime, I will recreate my memories of tapas and make new ones as I can. Here’s a recipe for an easy and light summery tapa made with small peppers and mint.
Fried Peppers with Mint and Prosciutto
10 oz. small peppers
1 T. olive oil
5 slices of prosciutto, sliced in thin strips
2 stems of fresh spearmint
Coarse sea salt
Heat the olive oil on medium high heat in a large frying pan. Add the peppers and fry until blistered and lightly charred. Add the prosciutto and fry a minute more. Put into a bowl, add the mint leaves and toss. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Serves 4 to 6.
