THERE AIN’T NO party like a Spanish party.
In fact, their parties are so good that their word for them – “fiesta” – has bled into the English language too. So, are you ready to find out just why Spanish fiestas are so much fun?
Arriba! Let’s do it.
1. Turn on the tapas
Spain has a huge regional variation with cuisine -so it’d be pretty impossible to say you outright don’t like Spanish food, as it’s so diverse. In order to narrow it down, focus on different types of tapas.
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Delicious tapas in a typical Spanish bar might include:
- Aceitunas: olives, sometimes filled with anchovies or red pepper
- Gambas: prawns sautéed in salsa negra (peppercorn sauce), or aioli (garlic oil) or pil-pil (chopped chilli pepper)
- Patatas bravas: fried diced potato served with spicy tomato sauce and aioli
- Cojonuda: slice of morcilla (black Spanish sausage) with a fried quail egg over a slice of bread
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2. Bailar!
Spanish music is among the best in the world. If you’re looking for some perfect background music for your shindig, you couldn’t do much better than getting a great playlist of Spanish guitar going. French-Spanish artist Manu Chao incorporates a lot of traditional Spanish elements in his music, which is perfect for a more chilled-out Iberian-inspired get together.
3. Flash some flamenco
While you’re at it, you may as well break out your best Espana-inspired moves. Flamenco is actually quite misunderstood – rather than just being a folk dance from Andalusia, it’s actually a musical style, with an emphasis on rhythm, guitar and vocals as well as movement. Here’s the basic footwork to impress your guests… As long as you don’t trip.
4. Learning the lingo
Alright, alright – we might all know our “gracias” from our “por favor”, but don’t you want to be able to sprinkle a few more useful phrases in Spanish into your conversation? Here are some quintessentially Irish party phrases, with their Spanish equivalent.
- Cheers! – Salud!
- I love this song - Me encanta esta canción
- Excuse me, are you single? -Discúlpeme, ¿estás sola?
5. Rioja, cava and rosé, oh my
Spain is also well known (and loved) for its fantastic wine output. Spain has over 2.9 million acres planted, making it the most widely-planted wine-producing nation in the world. Impress your fiesta amigos with the following wine cheat sheet:
- “Oh, did you know Rioja and Ribera del Duero are known for the Tempranillo production?”
- “Ah yes, Valdepenas – that was drunk by Hemingway, you know.”
- “I love having a Sherry or two – comes from the Jerez region, I believe.”
- “Pass the Cava! Hic.”
Want to set the scene for your own Spanish fiesta? Post your best Instagram pics with the hashtag #CampoViejo #TapasEnvy to be in with a chance to win your own tapas at home kit, courtesy of Campo Viejo. Find out more at the Campo Viejo Facebook.
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