Four weeks of football fever have finally come to a close as South Africa says goodbye to the World Cup. What an unpredictable tournament it’s been with shock results for all, the much fancied Brazil and Argentina teams failed to deliver on initial promise, England crashed and burned amidst feverish optimism surrounding the squad, and semi-final stalwarts France and Italy couldn’t even make it past the group stages.

The ever efficient Germans powered on to the semis, Uruguay warmed south American hearts and broke African ones, and The Netherlands made it to their first ever final. While all this madness was going on however, one thing remained constant, the tournament favourites for well over a year, Spain, played some sublime football and eventually emerged as worthy victors. Their pinpoint passing and devastating finishing ability shone through helping them to a well deserved maiden World Cup win.

Spain as a country is really on fire at the moment and as been for sometime within the sports arena, Rafael Nadal recently set Iberian hearts pounding as he stormed to a Second Wimbledon title. Outside of sports however, Spanish catering, which has always been somewhat over-shadowed by its French and Italian counterparts, is really creating a buzz at the moment.

Independent Spanish restuarants are starting to crop up on high streets all over the country, offering an exciting alternative to the clichéd pizza, pasta, curry or Chinese debate. Spanish food is unique in that it is served not in separate courses but as a continus stream of small and varied dishes designed to ignite your taste-buds. The dishes are constructed from cured meats, fresh fish, rich cheeses, chickpeas, olives and roasted vegetables to name a few components, seared and spiced utilising a spectrum of traditional techniques.

Tapas can be treated as a formal sit-down dinner or a casual array of snacks which you can pick at while sitting at the bar enjoying a San Miguel or a better still, a good Rioja.! A Spanish meal could even form a dynamic and unique basis for a corporate Christmas Party this year. Just as Spain’s game is beautiful when they manipulate the ball with vigor and soul, their food is as exciting and skillfully prepared as their game-plan. Mark the occasion of Spain winning their first World Cup with a slap-up tapas dinner.

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