We had Kent, Barbara and Steve over for a ZAP leads meeting tonight (always an excuse to get together and eat), and I repeated the tapas menu we had for our neighborhood get-together a couple of weeks ago. Again, I prepped the night before, but this time it only took an hour and a half. I didn’t make the olive skewers – too much effort – and instead, I just put out a mixture of Spanish olives and cocktail onions. Kent brought the grapes and Marcona almonds, and Barbara and Steve brought a delicious fruit tart from a bakery in the City.
I got home from work and got started on cooking around 6, and was ready by 7. The shrimp was much, much better this time – I bumped up the pimenton, and I think that made a difference.

• Jamon Serrano
• Marcona Almonds
• Spanish Olives
• Grapes
• Manchego Marinated in Olive Oil & Herbs (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 78)
• Crispy Potatoes with Tangy Tomato Sauce (Patatas Bravas) (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 80)
• Sautéed Mushrooms with Garlic & Parsley (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 81)
• Sautéed Chorizo with Red Wine (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 82)
• Seared Shrimp with Pimentón & Sherry (Fine Cooking #81, November 2006, p. 82)
• Fruit Tart