Are you planning to host a Spanish tapas and wine party? Whether it’s for a birthday, other celebrations, or a weekend dinner party, you can never go wrong with serving tapas and wine. This type of party encourages sharing and enjoying various kinds of food.
Tapas are known as the small servings of various foods. However, its English translation is “lid” since tapas are originally served to cover a glass of beer. Meanwhile, the culture of tapas is more than just the small plates of food served in tapas bars. It’s about the company, stories, and the unforgettable experiences people share.
In this article, we’ll discuss some tips you can try when organising a Spanish tapas and wine party.
1. Plan a Variety of Dishes
Since the theme has already been finalised, you can start with planning your menu. If you have already been to Spanish restaurants or tapas bars, you already have an idea about what tapas are.
Some of the most popular tapas include Tortilla Española, Patatas Bravas, Gambas al Ajillo, Pan con Tomate, and Chorizo al Vino. When choosing the right tapas to serve to your guests, you should consider the availability of ingredients, the type of food they eat, and what is most appealing.
In doing so, you can consider the age bracket of the guests. For instance, if they’re mostly young, you can focus more on proteins, and just add some vegetable dishes for the balance.
2. Pair With the Right Wines
Once the menu has been finalised, you can move on to choosing the right wine to pair with the dishes. Since Spain offers a wide range of wine choices, it’s common to consume tapas with wine. This can help you to easily choose the right pairings for your party.
Meanwhile, some of the most popular wines in Spain include Albariño (seafood dishes), Red Rioja (chorizo and other meat-based tapas), Sherry (Spanish snacks), and Cava (olives, jamón, and other salty tapas).
Of course, it’s also essential to prepare non-alcoholic drinks or mocktails for guests who don’t drink, including kids.
3. Create a Spanish-Inspired Atmosphere
Since it’s a Spanish-themed party, you can create a vibe with strict, casual, warm, and fun elements. In doing so, you can also serve a charcuterie board, small plates for the tapas servings, clay dishes, candles, flowers, linens, colourful banderitas, which can show the festival vibes.
In addition, you can play some flamenco background music, so that the guests can get in a good mood while enjoying various tapas dishes. What’s great about having a tapas and wine party is that everyone can eat whenever and whatever they like at their own pace. There’s no pressure as to when you should finish each dish, and you can always come back for more.
4. Encourage Sharing
As mentioned, tapas and wine parties are great opportunities to share food, and it’s not about the formal meal where people are sitting at a single table, worrying about which utensil they should use next.
So, when setting up the food corner, you can arrange it in a buffet style where guests can get their plate and the food they would like to try. Of course, don’t forget to label the best wine to pair with their chosen tapas. And if they want to try other types of wine with different tapas, let them do so. With this, they can make comments about the other options that are best paired with the wines.
5. Don’t Forget the Extras
The small details are essential in parties, especially when it comes to tapas and wine parties. Since it’s a casual party, you should also prepare some snacks to nibble on, such as Manchego cheese, almonds, and olives. Of course, you can also add some cold cuts. And if you have more time and budget, you can turn it into a charcuterie board.
In addition, you can also include some crusty, fresh bread and olive oil, some sangria, and other easy-to-nibble snacks.
You can also prepare a station for a do-it-yourself Bocadillo (also known as the Spanish sandwich). This allows the guests to be creative, have joy, and be delighted with the sandwich they make.
6. Enjoy Every Moment
Since the Spanish tapas and wine party’s main goal is to have fun and dine casually, you don’t need to complicate things. Instead, take this opportunity to socialise and communicate with other people.
In addition, don’t forget to document the precious moments. You can end the night by serving some Spanish desserts like flan, or even some cups of coffee and churros.
Final Thoughts
Organising a Spanish tapas and wine party may seem a daunting task, but it can be less overwhelming than other formal gatherings. Just make sure that you’re having a good time with your guests, and send the best tapas you can make.
