Tapas

One of the best reasons to get up and go to Spain are tapas! Tapas originated in Spain and they’re small portions of food that can be eaten with the fingers, served on skewers or toothpicks and can come piping hot or cold. Tapas are such an important part of the Spanish culture and the social scene that nearly everyone sits down on a daily basis to enjoy a good conversation and tapas together with their family and friends. In fact, every bar, café and restaurant serves tapas. So where did tapas come from and how did they become so important?

The Origins of Tapas

According to folklore, the tradition of eating tapas started around 1250 when King Alfonso X – also called “El Sabio” or “The Wise One” – nursed himself back to health after an illness by drinking wine and eating small portions of food between his meals. Amazed by his recovery, King Alfonso made a mandate that taverns would not be allowed to serve wine unless it was paired with a small snack, now commonly known as the tapa.

Another famous tale says that King Alfonso stopped to rest in the province of Cadiz at an inn where he ordered a glass of sherry. The wind was blowing up a gale that day, so the innkeeper covered his glass of sherry with a slice of ham to keep the dust and dirt out of the glass. King Alfonso liked the sherry and ordered a second glass with another slice of ham covering it. In fact, the word “tapas” got its origins from the Spanish verb, “tapar,” which means to cover. Nowadays, Spaniards have invented a verb called “tapear” which means “to go eat tapas!”

The Popularity of Tapas

After about 800 years of Spaniards sitting down together in taverns with wine and small portions of food, tapas have become a major part of the Spanish culture. Currently, most restaurants and bars serve between 8 to 12 kinds of tapas on a daily basis. Since Spaniards usually eat lunch between 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. and dinner between 9 p.m. – 11 p.m., people gather in bars, cafes and restaurants to snack on tapas before lunch and before dinner to fuel themselves through the day.

Some of the most common types of tapas are:

Albondigas: Meatballs served with sauce
Alioli: Garlic and oil served on bread
Calamari: quid battered and fried
Empenadas: Puff pastries filled with meat or vegetables
Papas Bravas: Potato dices that are fried and served with salsa

Some of the best places to order tapas are in Andalucía, Madrid, Asturias and Extremadura where tapas are served for free with a drink. Be sure to make it a point to sit down and order some tapas next time you’re visiting Spain.