The second edition of the secret dinner series hosted by FOOD n Co in partnership Unplugged Zimbabwe is set to take place on April 29.
The follow up edition focuses on benchmarking the Spanish tradition of Tapaz.
Tapaz are seldom served without alcohol – they are small plates of food to be consumed with wine or other alcohol at a drinking establishment.
They can literally be any type of food – from nuts, olives, and assorted cheeses to roasted meats and stews – so long as the dish is served on a small plate accompanied by alcohol.
“While the reason behind the creation of the tapaz eating tradition is clear for those who originate from this European background how can this be applied in the Zimbabwean context?
“We believe there exists a number of interesting ingredients on the local scene that can be utilized to engender a new way of serving Zimbabwean tailored snacks, ready to serve and bite sized dinner culinary creations,” said Natalie Manikai who is one of the brains behind the series.
African food and indeed Zimbabwean food is no exception, has a reputation of being served in humongous proportions, after hours of painstaking work on a fire that brings about frustration and an unwillingness to apply creativity in the process.
“A tapaz interpretation of the potential of our ingredients is a wild card but a daring innovation to showcase that we can conceptualise a Michelin Star worthy gourmet dish that incorporates nutritious raw material, our version of traditional cooking applications and a stroke of signature contemporary creativity,” she added.
Manikai added that they are also presenting an option that debunks the need for laborious application and time to create and serve dishes to discerning guests.
“We propose a brave route that requires a harnessing of skills to render down traditional recipes and created an array of bit-size dishes that can be served and attain the flavor and satisfaction required.”
