Kitchen 411: Small Plates, Big World

In 1972, when Simone Ortega published 1080 Recetas de Cocina (or 1080 Recipes), little was known about Spanish cuisine outside the Iberian Peninsula. The best-selling book became Spains Joy of Cooking (without it there would be no Ferran Adri or Jos Andrs, two of the worlds most exciting chefs), and its long-overdue 2007 English translation drastically expanded the reach of the Spanish food empire, bringing refreshing gazpacho and flavorful paella recipes to the rest of the globe. More than 35 years later, Ortega, this time accompanied by her daughter Ins, expands her impressive catalog with The Book of Tapas, a beautifully photographed introduction to the world of Spanish small plates that offers more than 250 simple and authentic recipes, from thick potato-filled tortilla (see recipe below) to melon balls with Serrano ham (pictured) to more adventurous modern dishes from guest chefs, like Andrss watermelon with tomato and pistachio. For Ins Ortega, tapas isnt just about the food: Its a free and easy style of eating, she says, a way of enjoying life and friendship. Sadly, Simone Ortega didnt live to see the volume published (she recently died at age 89). Still, this irresistible tapas tome is almost biblical in scope and as evangelical as 1080 Recetas was before it.