food & wine

I should have written this AGES ago. Although intended for the groups I guide in Spain for Rick Steves, this basic advice should provide anyone with a good start. With over 25 years of experience navigating the ever-changing tapas scene, I hope there are enough beginner tips & tricks here to make the most of meals on your own. Remember: practice makes perfect. No one gets everything right the first time!

Jamón is so important to Spanish cuisine that it can be found lurking in almost everything. But with so much of this tasty product available, what makes ibérico so special? Is it truly worth the price? You bet. Let’s start with that gorgeous animal first…

As with most traditional Spanish recipes, technique comes second to ingredients. This gaditano tapa —which literally translates to “dressed potatoes”— involves little prep or special skill to make, but the best quality produce & olive oil make this dish a knockout. My recipe is based on versions I’ve had at both Bar Terraza & Casa Rafael in Cádiz. Let’s get cooking!

And you thought gazpacho was the only way Spaniards found another use for day-old bread! Much of Spanish cooking is waste not-want not using simple, high quality ingredients. In fact, migas (literally “breadcrumbs”) uses only five common kitchen staples to make a classic dish. This particular recipe comes from a family of saffron harvesters in Castilla-La Mancha, so they add a pinch of their local spice. For this traditional shepherd’s dish, saffron wouldn’t normally be on hand but its addition makes this version even more tasty.