Jamon serrano (spanish ham) is a delicious, sweet dry-cured ham that is served raw and sliced paper-thin. It has a deep, rich texture due to the traditional curing methods. Jamon iberico is another cured ham, highly prized and expensive. It comes from the Iberico pig that is native to Spain. chorizo There are lots of varieties of chorizo, the spicy pork sausage of Spain. It can be smoked, unsmoked, fresh, or cured. Its unique taste is spiced with aromatic flavors, and usually features garlic and paprika. Cured chorizo can be served raw, sliced alongside cheese and olives. Fresh chorizo is often cubed and cooked.

Manchego is the most widely known and widely available Spanish cheese. This salty cheese is made from milk from the Manchego sheep and can be soft or hard, depending on how long it has had to ripen. There are two types: the artisanal (farm house) type which is made with unpasteurized milk, and the commercial type made with pasteurized milk. They are both available either semi-cured or cured.
Manchego is perfect served alone with a chunk of bread, with a glass of fino or manzanilla sherry, or with quince paste or honey. You can serve parmesan cheese as an alternative to Manchego, but keep in mind it’s stronger and saltier,so you’ll need less of it.

Manzanilla olives are the most popular choice for tapas. They are large, green, sweet Spanish olives that are often stuffed with anchovies or flavored with lemon, thyme, or oregano. They are the simplest tapas dish. Place them in a small bowl, with cocktail sticks for serving.