Anyone who has visited Spain will tell tales of their experience of the country’s famous tapas bars. The more towns and cities you visit in the country, the more varied you’ll find the food. Most areas will serve up their own take on the famous cuisine, depending on location you may find more seafood courses towards the coast and more meat and cheese the more central you go. The good news for Americans is that the cuisine has travelled across the Atlantic Ocean and restaurants serving up this food can now be found in abundance. Let’s have a look at some of the essentials any tapas bar should be serving up –

Paella

 

Pictured here served in one of our Vegware bagasse bowls and hailing from the city of Valencia, paella certainly varies depending on where it is served. Traditionally key ingredients would include rice, beans, chicken and rabbit; however, the dish has evolved over time. These days you’re likely to find seafood like prawns, squid and mussels alongside some of those traditional ingredients.

Meats and cheese

 

Presented above in our 10in rectangular bagasse plate is a common Spanish delicacy, Manchego cheese wrapped with Iberian ham. If you visit the north of Spain you will come across a lot of meat in the form of a Pincho. Highlights include, a full array of Bocadillos (sandwiches) and Morcilla de Burgos (Spanish black pudding). A dish you’re likely to see on most tapas menus and what is a big favourite amongst the Spanish is sautéed chorizo with red wine.

Seafood

 

 As mentioned previously the further you go towards the coast in Spain the more likely you are to find a bigger array of seafood options. Mussels are always a favourite, whether included in a paella or served on their own (pictured in Vegware 4oz bagasse portion pot). A Galician dish which is an essential for anyone visiting Northern Spain is Pulpo Gallego which is essentially grilled octopus. Calamari (deep-fried squid) is a similar seafood dish you may be more likely to see in greater parts of Spain and in the US.

Vegetarian

 

 Spain isn’t only a country famed for its wide variety of meat and seafood dishes, it also gains a lot of recognition for its delicious vegetarian food. A lot of Spanish restaurants and bars will often serve tasty olives (pictured) to accompany a nice glass of Rioja or Monastrell. Vegetarian tapas highlights include fried Asparagus seasoned with salt and pepper. A popular tapa dish in Seville is Espinacas con Garbanzos which is spinach and chickpeas seasoned with paprika and garlic. It sounds an odd combination but the result is delicious. Pimientos de Padron is a dish you’re likely to see on a lot of tapas menus. Padron peppers, originally from Galicia, are seasoned with salt and olive oil and vary in temperatures.

Our Vegware product range is well suited to serve up a range of different cuisines. Made from plants, not plastic, our products are designed to be composted when disposed. For more information look at our catalog.