Tapas Por Todos...Totally Terrifico!

Three couples, three courses, ten tapas, and it all ended with molten chocolate and a sorbet that included....wait for it...cava....Oh yes my friend, the game was very much on!

A night of tribute to Spain's gift to Washington DC, Chef Jose Andres, was a culinary night to remember of the Gourmet Club.


Want to really challenge yourself in the kitchen? Try a night of tapas. Trust me, you won't regret it. Not feeling up to the challenge? Then do what most people do, make reservations at Jaleo.

Last night was the stuff of songs for I was treated to a culinary journey consisting of a mix of dishes directly from the Andres portfolio and dishes closely inspired by his arsenal. All I had to do is vacuum the floor, and get my shrimp and garlic on. Here's a look at the menu.

Course One (Prepared by Cupcake and Dr. Brut)
Gazpacho (my vote for presentation)
Chorizo-stuffed, bacon-wrapped Medjool Dates (couldn't stop eating these...best line of the night: "a tooth pick and bacon are always an excellent start")
Pulpo Gallego (my vote for the most unusua dish...who knew octopus could be that succulent?)
Cava and Pomegranate Cocktail (one word, Yummy)

Course Two (Prepared by Doubleshot and me)
Shrimp in Garlic Oil (this is the one I did, 5 minutes of prep, and 5 minutes of cooking...see book reference below)
Spinach Catalan Style (the Romesco sauce on this dish, I believe made this one the group's choice for #1 or #2)
Mushroom and potato torte (burned my hand on the pan....totally worth it)

Course Three (Prepared by Appe Teaser and Chili Head, and my vote for best group of three dishes)
Confit of Piquillo Peppers (a Spanish answer to bruschetta...awesome)
Croquetas (honorable mention for this one as I stole one from my neighbor's plate)
Beef Tenderloin with Cabrales (The other group favorite for 1st or 2nd place)

Desert (Prepared by Doubleshot)
Orange and Strawberry Cava Sorbet
Chocolate Caliente Con Churros

If you're starting to drool, then click on this link to Amazon's page for Jose's tapas book,Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America, which is certainly worth the price.