TAPAS CULTURE
A trawl through the tapas bars in a Spanish town will satisfy the desire for adventure as well as hunger. It also poses something of a dilemma for the connoisseur: a few almonds, or some olives? Cheese, meat or air-dried ham? Perhaps some deep-fried seafood?
Tapas are those irresistible delicacies that are usually displayed behind glass at the bar, and which in Spain are either an introduction to the main meal or often a substitute for it. They are eaten hot or cold, served plain or as an artistic flight of fancy, and freshly made every day Some inns, the tascas and mesones, offer a choice of three or four dozen different tapas, and the hot specialties of the day are usually written in chalk on a slate. Lots of tapas bars and restaurants now specialize in seafood or fish; ham or certain types of sausage; vegetables or braised dishes. Tapas are served on small porcelain dishes or cuzuelitas, the typical brown glazed dishes. Tapas are also called pinchos (skewers or kebabs) in the north, even if nothing is actually skewered. In Valencia, they are often served as montditos (“the mounted”), either tiny bread croutons or slices of bread covered with a variety of delicious morsels.
The actual ritual surrounding a typical tapas meal (tapeo or chiquiteo) is very much like the Spanish people themselves — after all, what could be nicer than eating, drinking, and chatting in a convivial atmosphere? Before the midday or evening meal, partakers stroll from bar to bat, sharing the day’s woes and delights, rarely staying in one place for more than one drink. A morsel here, a morsel there to go with a glass of sherry or cider, beer or wine, and then on to the next bar.
The true origin of the tapas culture is still the subject of much debate. Was Castilian King Alfonso X the originator of these delights? After all, this monarch, who ruled over Seville, Cordoba, and Jaén in the 13th century, was advised by his doctors to cut back on his calories, so his personal cooks served him tiny morsels that supposedly tasted so good that they could well have been the precursors of the tapas culture.
The Andalusians, however, laugh at this theory There is no doubt at all in their minds that tapas actually originated from the sunny south. After all, southerners have always loved outdoor meals, invariably accompanied by a glass of sherry (or two). However, as the delicate aroma of this sweet beverage attracted hosts of irritating insects, a small cover (tapa) or dish was placed over the glass with a few olives, as well as a small amount of fish, ham, sausage or other appetizing morsels. It is also possible, though, that the Moors, of whom there are plenty of traces in Andalusia (and especially of a culinary nature), were really the inventors of the tapas culture. In their North African home, and especially among the Arab Bedouin, it is still both customary and a sign of refined hospitality for lots of tiny dishes to be served.
Seville is still considered to be the capital of the tapas, but Madrid and other cities have caught up, and many bars in Granada, Cadiz, and Cordoba have their own personal specialties that they swear by In recent decades, the tapas culture has spread throughout the whole of Spain, and the basic rule of thumb is always the same, whether in Barcelona, Saragossa, or Toledo: if the locals congregate around long bars before a main meal, you can be pretty sure the reason is the quality of the tapas.
Other signs of a good tapas bar are the variety on offer and the quality of its hams and sausages. If hams from the Iberian pig (cerdo ibérica) and homemade sausages hang from the ceiling, this usually means that the tapas are of above-average quality. In many Andalusian bars, it is still customary for the guest to be given, at no extra charge, a small tapa with every glass of sherry wine, or beer. In a genuine “inns of little sins,” you can be sure that the waiters will keep tally of the guests’ consumption, and no matter how many beers are downed, guests will not be served the same tapa twice. After all, the choice is — almost – unlimited.
A small proportion of the varied fare available in tapas bars and restaurants is illustrated in our accompanying photograph Some of them are borrowed from the cuisines of other countries, some are indigenous Spanish recipes, but found all over the country, while others are local specialties. Each may seem small in itself but after consuming several you will feel like you have eaten a hearty meal.
paella Recipes with Bill & Sheila>/b>(click on the graphic for more information)
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