The Tapa Concurso: Food, Fun, and more Food!

One of my favorite parts of living in Spain is the food!  (If you know me, you're not surprised...)

Being the food-lover that I am, nothing makes me happier than a full-blown Tapa Concurso!  The first time I stumbled onto one of these was in Segovia.  It was a discovery that forever changed the tapa eating experience for me.  And, (imagine my excitement) one has just come to Zamora!  This means that hubby and I have spent the last few weekends (and some week nights we've been to lazy to cook) bouncing from place to place enjoying the atmosphere, experience, and of course, the food!  

So, what is a tapa concurso, and why is it a magnificent opportunity to enjoy the Spanish cuisine in a traditional yet revolutionary way?  

To begin with, "concurso" mean "contest."  Putting the two together, we can understand that a tapa contest is an event in which many of the local restaurants, bars, and cafes put together their best tapa and sell it for a reasonable price (for example in Zamora each tapa is sold for a set price of 1.30E).  As participants in the judging process, clients are given a leaflet on which they can rate the various dishes.  After sampling the tapa at the "local" (establishment) you ask for a stamp.  After you get the set amount of stamps (in Zamora it's 4) you're allowed to cast your vote.  (The sheets are drawn at random later for a raffle, in which participants have the possibility of winning various prizes for taking part).  

Leaflet with stamps, and booklet with information on the participating bars/cafes/restaurants 

Casting my vote! 

This allows you to not only indulge in the long-standing and world-famous tradition of the "tapeo", but also let's you see a different side of Spanish cuisine.  While the dishes are made up of traditional Spanish ingredients, many times they are made and prepared in a new and exciting way.  No bar is going to win the contest by serving its standard Spanish Tortilla or Montadito de Jamón.  They create new and exciting items, some with amazing presentation, and serve them up in a unique and original fashion.

So, what exactly do I mean when I say typical Spanish ingredients served in a fun and innovative way?  I'm so glad you asked!  The best way to explain this is with pictures!!

For example, at one restaurant in particular visitors are given a friendly reminder that all of the ingredients boast the local "zamorana" heritage.

The sign hanging over the bar informs the customer that the products used and presented are all proudly from the city itself: "The most emblematic products from the 'Zamorana' pantry."  Reading further, we learn that these items are young lamb, peppers, veal, sheep's cheese, chick-peas, and the grapes which are used to make red wine (most famously from the village just outside the city named Toro).  These are items which are easy to find anywhere in the city.  However, in this particular "local" they are all made in a different way from what you would usually expect.  

The "zamora's-nack and gelatto" tapa

The "Zamora's-nack and gelatto" tapa is a wonderful example of the how the Spanish cuisine can remain true to its roots, but also fun and playful.  Sampling a large variety of the traditional Spanish kitchen in bite-sized bits gives the patron an opportunity to not only experience the deep-rooted culture embedded in the food, but also the continuously evolving world of the tapa culture (which continues to develop with the modern gastronomy of the times).  

Another great example of this is the "Coci-Pizza."  The traditional Spanish "cocido" made into a bite-sized pizza!  Cocido is a classic dish which is made differently in various regions, but the most renowned being from Madrid.  Generally, a good "cocido" has a base of garbanzos (chick-peas) mixed with vegetables and different meats and stewed slowly until all of the flavors meld together in a rich, warming, combination of deliciousness.  This specific bar La Flaca decided to take this staple and give it a twist.  

La "Coci Pizza" 

Again, the flavors seem to scream "Spain" while the presentation does nothing of the sort.  Mixed with a mountain of cheese, it's easy to identify the taste of the beloved Spanish dish, but not in the traditional Spanish style.  Served in a cute little "pizza box" the Coci-pizza is a wonderful representation of what makes the Tapa Concurso such a memorable experience.

Of course I can't go through each tapa, one by one, and explain what they are made up of, and what makes them special, especially since in Zamora this year there are over 80 establishments participating!  Besides, describing them and enjoying them are two very different things, and what makes the Tapa Concurs such a great experience is getting to sample them for yourself!

It isn't just the food, but rather the entire premise of spending a night out, trying new things, and bouncing from one place to the next which makes this event what it is.  In essence, it is still the usual Spanish "tapeo", which is where the beauty lies in all of this!  It is a traditional way of spending an evening with friends, but with a special flare!

While it may be hard to plan an entire trip to Spain based solely around one of these wonderful events, I highly recommend that if you're going to spend any extended amount of time in the Iberian Peninsula, that you try to find one near you!  You will seriously not regret it!