Enjoying Tapas in Spain

Last Updated on April 13, 2016 by lydiaf1963

Most people know that when you order an alcoholic drink in Spain, you will be served a little something to eat, but did you know there’s an incredible variety of little plates served as well as massive contests on both the local and national level? Enjoying tapas in Spain is an experience that is so pervasive in the culture there’s even a couple expressions: tapear; to eat tapas and ir de tapas; which is more like a bar crawl.

Over the last few years, I’ve taken many photos of Spanish tapas (and other food) with my phone. I’ve chosen a few to share to give you an idea of what is served. As our friend José says, “¡Vamos a tapear!”

Tapas originated, so the legend goes, when King Alfonso XIII was served a glass of sherry with a slice of bread and a piece of jamón on top to protect the wine from flies and sand. Tapa means “lid” or “cover.” Another explanation lies in the Spanish belief that eating a little something while imbibing is good for the stomach and slows down the effect of the alcohol.

First, the drinks

Most eating establishments will serve coffee, tea, soda, water, beer and wine to drink. Not all will have mixed drinks (copas) and some of the copas bars don’t serve wine. Every bar will have at least a house beer on tap, and maybe a few more in bottles. If you don’t feel like drinking a whole pint of beer (a pinta or jarra) ask for a corto (a short one — 4 to 6 ounces). You order wine by the color: tinto (red) , blanco (white) or rosado (rosé). The locals will order by the type of grape or region. If it’s late in the day a gentleman might order a cup of coffee with a chupito of brandy or anisette. In general women don’t drink the liquors but during the day they can be seen sipping on a vermouth and in the evenings they make the switch to copas.

There is a bar for every 130 people in Spain and it’s not unusual to see small children with their parents. As you can imagine, people remember where the good food is to be found.

Now, the tapas

Whether you will be served a little something extra free of charge depends on a variety of factors. If the place doesn’t have a kitchen or other means of heating food, you’re likely to be served chips, a slice of cheese, olives or nuts. Sometimes you’ll get a slice of bread with a sardine, piece of jamón, tuna or bit of tortilla on it. Other places will make up long skinny sandwiches called bocaditos and cut them into bite sized pieces to serve. If they run out of the bocaditos, you’ll get chips. Sundays are special days where an establishment is likely to serve something a little fancier than normal. A paella perhaps, or platters of sliced meats and cheeses.

Places with kitchens will serve hot foods like a soup or cooked vegetables. They often have an array of more elaborate tapas on display for you to select from and will reheat them if necessary. These are often available as a separate order and may or may not also be offered as a free tapa. You’ll often see the tapas you pay for referred to as raciones (servings) and media raciones. Croquetas, fried pieces of fish, wonderful open faced sandwiches with a variety of toppings, a serving of paella or a plateful of thinly sliced jamón or cecina (dried beef) are just a few examples of what’s available.

Contrary to popular belief, Spaniards do eat vegetables. As tapas, they’re likely to be fried. But you can also purchase fresh salads, a platter of grilled vegetables and roasted potatoes. Don’t forget the famous patatas bravas!

Seafood is another popular tapa. From pieces of fried cod to mussels to octopus you can find whatever you like as well as some less common varieties of seafood, like cockles and barnacles.

It’s possible to make an entire meal just of tapas if you select the proper location. More common is to enjoy a drink and a tapa in one location and move on to another. You can easily make an evening of it and you’ll find after hours clubs to keep the party going until the sun comes up.

Do you like to eat tapas? What are your favorites? Where did you have them?

Want to make your own tapas at home? Feel free to browse the collection of small plates recipes found on our sister site, Lydia’s Flexitarian Kitchen. Pick one or two that appeal, add some sliced chorizo and cheese and some assorted nuts and olives. Don’t forget your favorite beverages!