What are Tapas?

Tapas are an integral part of the Spanish lifestyle. In the sun drenched streets of Spain, the lively Tapas bar hung with smoked Serrano hams provides a local point for every community. Twice daily, Spaniards from the most remote of mountain villages go to the thriving cosmopolitan cities of Madrid and Barcelona head for their favourite bar for a chilled sherry, or a glass of wine or beer, conversation and, of course, Tapas.

Tapas are little snacks and a great way of eating. Originally, when you ordered a drink the barman would provide a free morsel to eat on a tiny plate on top of your glass. The word tapa means a cover or lid. Obviously time passed and what with free competition coupled with the infinitisimal imagination of a human before long Tapas was being produced in lots of different guises and no longer free!

But nowadays, Tapas have come to encompass more or less any hot or cold dish that can be served in small portions, and they may be quite substantial.

The Spanish thing to drink with Tapas is a dry (fino or manzanilla) sherry, or a glass of tinto (red wine) or cerveza (beer). Of course gin & tonic is wonderful too ... just not terribly Spanish!