Book excerpt: A recipe collection featuring tapas with a Mediterranean and Latin twist from the Barcelona Restaurant and Wine Bar is “a guide to a great time.” (Marcus Samuelson, award-winning chef and author of The Soul of a New Cuisine) The Barcelona Cookbook is robust and gutsy, just like the establishment, and is oozing with good things. Alluring aromas, savory flavors, and good times are the main ingredients in this offering. It brings the cosmopolitan soul of Barcelona Restaurant and Wine Bar home with 110 unbelievable recipes perfect for sharing with friends and family. Along with the interesting sidebars, recipes are nicely paired with wine suggestions, menu and party planning recommendations, and tips for applying restaurant tricks to the home kitchen. A variety of both hot and cold tapas recipes are included. The outcome: a fabulous offering of mouthwatering dishes that are as rich and satisfying as the conversation around the table. The 175 beautiful photographs alone will convince you it's time for a party. “The Barcelona Cookbook is practically edible. And sommelier Gretchen Thomas knows exactly what to drink with it. Her system for choosing . . . Spanish wines is ingenious . . . Brava!” –David Rosengarten, chef and author of The Dean and Deluca Cookbook “Whenever I am in the state of Connecticut, I seek out the Barcelona restaurants because I know I will always have a meal packed with flavor.” –Bobby Flay, award-winning chef and author of Bobby Flay’s Boy Gets Grill