Happy Cinco de Mayo!
While many people will be indulging in margaritas and various brands of cerveza tonight, I plan to spend a quiet evening at home with a nice glass or two of Spanish wine.
I may even throw together a few tapas to nosh on.
One of the hottest trends in the restaurant business involves “small plates” – delicious morsels that one can enjoy in a bite or two… or order in quantity to share with friends. All types of restaurants are jumping on the bandwagon, but the trend really started several years ago with Spanish tapas.
Unless you belong to The World of Wine wine club, you may not be familiar with Spanish wines. They’re not normally stocked in great abundance at supermarkets, and even wine shops typically reserve little shelf space for them.
So if you’re thinking of going the tapas route tonight but don’t have a Spanish wine on hand, try a bottle of California Zinfandel instead. Another option: a bottle of Syrah, from almost any region that grows it. And if your tapas involve chicken, a chilled bottle of Sauvignon Blanc is another tasty option.
I’ve reached the age where I consider going out and drinking just to drink to be an extension of New Year’s Eve – my Dad likes to call it “Amateur Hour.” That’s why I’d much rather head straight home, relax, assemble a few tapas and uncork a bottle of wine.
That way, I know I’ll be around for a Seis de Mayo.
