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Origins of a Spanish favourite – tapas

Origins of a Spanish favourite – tapas

Aug 30, 2022 Lifestyle

We all love tapas, that most sociable of Spanish delicacies, but do you know how and where this tradition started?

Tapas restaurants have spread from Spain to conquer much of the world. There are tapas-themed restaurants and cafés across Europe, North America and beyond, in everything from capital cities to your local hometown, but they are still most authentic when enjoyed in their cultural heartland: Andalucía.

Indeed, tapas are not just Spanish, they are Andalusian, as this particular tradition took off in Granada during the 19th century. Local bars and cafés had been serving meals and drinks for much longer, but when beer drinking took off in Spain and Portugal with the introduction of German-style breweries and so-called Cervecerias, guests developed a greater tendency to become drunk and rowdy.

To counter this, shrewd café owners began offering little snacks free with orders of beer, and later also wine and other beverages, and before long a tradition of jovially sharing a drink and a snack placed in the middle of the table took root, first in Granada and later across Andalucía and Spain, where it became a national icon.

You might think that this practice reduced profits for the establishment in question, but since the little dishes offered were by nature salty, this led to thirsty customers staying longer and ordering more drinks. Today, few places remain where tapas are still served free of charge (except in Granada city), but they remain an economical snack and over the years a large menu of tapas y raciones has evolved.

 

Tapas and Raciones

A ración is a half-sized dish of the smaller tapa, while in many cases also a full-sized meal of the same delicacy is available. There are many to choose from, ranging from seafood and fish snacks to vegetarian and meat ones, but the most famous are:

Ensaladilla Rusa – the Spanish version of the cold potato salad first invented by a French chef in Russia, it usually contains tuna, mayonnaise, carrots and onions, with further detailing depending on the local cook’s personal touches.

Carrillada is a warm tapa of pork cheeks in a savoury sauce. It may not sound that appetising, but this is one of the tastiest tapas of all, and if you’re not told where it comes from it simply looks like a normal meat dish.

Albondigas – offered with tomato or more savoury nut-based sauces, these little meatballs are a hearty snack best enjoyed – as are most tapas – with freshly cut slices of a soft baguette. Just the thing for a winter’s day.

Boquerones are the little cured pilchards that Málaga and its coastal area are particularly well-known for. It is an acquired taste for some, but rapidly wins over the majority of visitors to the area, who become avid fans of this local dish.

There are many more dishes to savour in the world of tapa exploration, as well as a broad choice of venues ranging from modern chains to authentic little tapas bars with lots of atmosphere and history – so head to town and discover a fun way to socialise and dine.