Follow Spain Investment Immigration and Spain Life: If paella is considered the king of Spanish cuisine, then Tapas is the graceful queen. The preparation of Tapas is exquisite and delightful, let us explore this mysterious and innovative world of Spanish flavors together!
Tapas are famous traditional snacks in Spain, and its literal meaning is "lid". There are many legends about the origin of Tapas.
According to legend, a long time ago, the King of Spain fell ill and could not eat large meals, only wanting to have light snacks. So the chef prepared several signature small dishes, and the king was very pleased, thus ordering that such snacks should also be served during the Happy Hour at bars for everyone to enjoy. This is the origin of Tapas. However, the original meaning of Tapas is not small dishes, but the lids that waiters place on wine glasses when serving drinks. In Spanish, tapas means "cover" in English.
The king named these light snacks Tapas, meaning they should be served alongside the wine. After that, the king noticed that since the invention of Tapas, the number of drunken people in the country decreased, and this method was emulated by Mediterranean countries. Due to the casual nature of Tapas, there is no definitive conclusion about what Tapas must include. What is available in the kitchen, what the chef wants to make, and the chef's unique skills can all make the offerings at each bar very different, akin to our concept of "home-cooked meals". Additionally, since the Romans brought olives from the east into Spain and the Arabs brought potatoes, peppers, and vegetables from the south, the seafood-dominated Spanish cuisine became richer, and the flavors of Tapas became more diverse. In present-day Spain, the popularity of a bar often indicates the quality of its Tapas. The playful Spaniards often hop between four bars during the two to three hours between finishing work and formal dinner, enjoying a drink and a Tapas at each bar. "After hopping around for half an evening, if one doesn't eat much, they might just be full."
For Spaniards, Tapas are not just a small dish to accompany drinks, nor merely a snack after a meal; they symbolize the enthusiasm of the Spanish people and their pursuit of a diverse life. If you want to taste the most authentic Tapas, you must go to Spain, where in those exquisite small bars, you can casually stand at the table like a Spaniard, enjoy your favorite wine, and savor the most original Spanish charm.
It should be said that Tapas not only represent a type of food but also embody a lifestyle. Convenience, casualness, and hedonism are keywords that represent the soul of Tapas. In Spain, many people even change several places to eat in one night, ordering a few small dishes and a few drinks, chatting happily; life seems to be just like this…