Tapping into tapas

TAPAS, a conversation-friendly cuisine — with its sociable portions and focus on ingredients — should be a good fit for Ireland.

Both cultures love eating with family and friends. Both like chat and pinching cheeky little tastes off surrounding plates.

Allied to this is the potential for Irish ingredients in tapas dishes — black pudding, scallops, potatoes, goat’s cheese, pork, mackerel, prawns. Those dinky terracotta bowls are perfect for both traditional fare — soup or stew, say — and more innovative dishes, such as pickled mackerel with sweet potato and sherry vinegar, or rack of Roscommon lamb with cauliflower and almond puree.