Better Bar Food
For the first time in a year, I went to a bar. Bellied up and ordered a stiff drink. Figured it was time…we have next to zero sick people on the island I live on, plus I’ve had this deep desire to support my local bar, see some faces, get out. And you know, it was really great. The lighting, the muffled conversations, the laughing…all great.
Except one thing.
When it came time to order a bit of food to mellow out the gin swimming solo in my stomach, my vibe was killed. Why is it all fried, battered? All brown? All frings and things? Why is the offering all so...gross?
I don’t want to be a negative Nancy, but we can do better, can’t we?
I know not every restaurant or bar follows this great American bar food playbook, but for this article let’s take a tip from the Spanish. They manage to do it right with their bar scene, sometimes even free plates flying out of the kitchen, instead of $14 extreme nachos. How about something bright, something simple, something clean. How about toast. But not toast of the avocado persuasion. Toast of the tapas type.
And as much as I like to support my local bar, I bet you could go have a drink there, then go make all these at home.
First, make some toast. I just slice a baguette on the diagonal into 1” slices. Drizzle with some olive oil, and pop them on a sheet in the oven until, um, toasty.
THEN TOP THE AFOREMENTIONED TOAST WITH UP TO THREE INGREDIENTS. NO MORE, NO NEED REALLY. TRY:
Cream cheese, chives, salmon. Smear the cheese, top with the other two things.
Tomato, garlic, white anchovies. Rub the toast with the tomatoes and garlic, really smash it in there.
Goat cheese, chopped dates, rosemary. Chop them all up and sprinkle them on there.
Roasted peppers, goat cheese, olive oil.
Manchego cheese, strawberry jam, walnut. After slicing the cheese, top with a little jam and some chopped walnuts.
After you get these down, try some other flavors. It doesn’t have to be Spanish flavor. Try some Thai stuff, or some Mexican ingredients. You’re not going to mess up, it’s just toast after all. –Paul Brewer
