Enjoy a traditional tapas dinner!

The word tapas, from the Latin word “tapar” meaning “to cover,” refers to a variety of appetizers or snacks in Spanish cuisine. They may be served cold, such as olives and cheese, or hot, such as potatoes or fried squid. In select Spanish bars as well as some regions of North America and the United Kingdom, tapas has evolved into a well-rounded and often sophisticated cuisine. Many tapas patrons choose order a variety of tapas in order to create an entire meal.

The serving of tapas is designed with the intention of encouraging conversation, since people are less focused on intricately eating a full course meal set before them at a table. In some countries, it is even customary for diners to stand and mingle while enjoying tapas.

According to Spanish legend, the tapas tradition began when King Alfonso X of Castile treated an illness by drinking wine with small dishes between meals. Following the successful restoration of his health, the king ordered the local taverns to cease serving wine to customers unless accompanied by a small snack or “tapa.”

According to Irma S. Rombauer’s The Joy of Cooking, tapas were originally slices of bread or meat served to sherry drinkers in Andalusian taverns used to cover the drinkers’ glassed betwixt sips. At the time, this was a practical measure to deter fruit flies from landing in or hovering over the sweet beverage. The meat of choice was usually ham or chorizo, salty products chosen by crafty bartenders to induce thirst and therefore increase alcohol sales. In this sense, the tapas eventually became just as important as the sherry.

Modern tapas have evolved throughout Spanish history to incorporate ingredients and influences of many different cultures. Popular tapas today include, but are definitely not limited to, olives, meatballs, chorizo, calamares (rings of battered squid), empanadas (turnovers filled with meat and vegetables), prawns, stuffed mussels, a variety of potato presentations, peppers, scallops, and a multitude of meats including spicy beef and slow-cooked pork. 

Photo courtesy of "The Culture of Tapas."