If you know anything about Spanish food culture, you will undeniably be familiar with the word “tapas.” This term, which refers to small plates that are eaten at Spanish tables as part of a traditional ritual in which people go from bar to bar to have a drink and eat a snack, is called “tapeo.”
Believe it or not, this word comes from the word meaning “to top,” given that these were originally small plates of food that were given to consumers in the southern region of Andalusia that covered their drink lids in order to keep flies out!
Nowadays, that isn’t what tapas are most loved for. Instead, they are treasured as a cheap, social, and exciting way to fill up during a night on the town.
Depending on the region of Spain in which you find yourself, tapas are either free with the purchase of a drink or they’re available for a small price.
Different regions have their own styles of tapas, like the Basque Country’s “pintxos,” a small piece of bread with other ingredients on top, but the goal is the same in all regions: to sit around and snack while drinking and talking with friends.
Doesn’t this tradition sound fun?
