[.ca] Tapas: The Little Dishes of Spain (ISBN 0394742354)

From Amazon.com:
Tapas are more than savory appetizers. "They represent a style of eating and way of life," says Penelope Casas, whose Tapas: the Little Dishes of Spain presents more than 300 recipes for the mouth-watering morsels. "So very Spanish, yet adaptable to America," she says, "they cross the line into what we think of as first course or main course dishes." In chapters such as Tapas in Sauce; Marinades, Patés, Salads, and Other Cold Tapas; and Tapas with Bread or Pastry, Casas provides a definitive selection of the traditional Spanish bar food--dishes to pass out at a gathering, to serve on a buffet, or to make a party of. Readers wishing an introduction to this versatile food, and the culinary culture in which it thrives, will want this bestselling book. The recipe array is vast. Sauce or ragout-like tapas include Shrimp and Mushrooms in Almond Sauce, Scallops with Cured Ham and Saffron, and Veal Meatballs in Spicy Chorizo Sauce. Endives Filled with Salmon and Shrimp Melon and Apple Salad are two examples of the many tantalizing cold tapas. Prawns Grilled with Garlic Mayonnaise, Lamb Brochettes, and the Three-Layer Omelet, a mixed-egg and vegetable tortilla, are hot-from-the-stove, show-stopping tapas. Including eight pages of color photos, a glossary of ingredients, menus, and a list of recommended Spanish tapas bars, the book is a complete tapas tour. Cooks at all skill levels will find dozens of these tasty little morsels to make and enjoy. --Arthur Boehm

One of my "Must Have" Cookbooks:
If I had to weed down my cookbook library to just 5 books this would be one of them. I have been visiting, living, working & eating in Spain for some 40 years and whenever I read this book it takes me back to tapas that I have eaten & the bars I have visited. The recipes are 100% authentic and mostly easy to make - the anecdotes about the sources of the recipes fascinating.

Could have been 5 stars:
The reason this work did not recieve five stars was the lack of detail in giving quanities in a few recipes. I refer to the recipe on page 11 for the first example. Shrimp and Mushrooms in Almond sauce. It calls for 2 slices of onions ..does not give the type..could be white red or yellow...does not give the size of the onion or the width of the slices. On the plus side there are many wonderful recipes and menus. The spinanch turnovers are superb and two of the pates that I have tried are really worth the price of the book.

This is the oneý:
I've been looking for something like this for a long time. All recipe titles are displayed in English and Spanish. Ingredients and directions are displayed in English and converted over to the U.S. standards of measure. This is very helpful. If you have ever tried to convert a full recipe from metric to U.S. you know what trouble that can be. Recipes are very authentic of the Spanish Tapas I have ever had in my short 4 years of living in Madrid. Recipes are easy to follow and to understand. Includes helpful hints to make cooking and clean up a lot easer. For Example: The correct way to turn over a tortilla with out making a mess.

Takes me back to my time in Spain!:
I received this as a present - it has a wide range of tapas recipes with some photos. I must admit I am yet to make any, but have spent some time trolling the bars of Spain, and they all seem authentic. I have her Paella cookbook, though, which I do cook from, and those make excellent meals.

Delicious! A must!:
I have thoroughly enjoyed this book, with its sensual descriptions of ingredients and menus. Truly a taste of Spain here! I gave a chef/ friend a copy for Christmas; and for New Years' she whipped up a dreamy Tapas party that sent our whole group into the furthest reaches of epicurean bliss. Everything she served came from this book! These recipies are flawless.