Who doesn’t like spending some time with friends while enjoying a nice drink and some small side dishes? In recent years, tapas have become a worldwide phenomenon, and it seems there is no way around it. We offer you a quick look at how it all began.
There are many versions regarding the history of tapas, and when it was first invented. They mostly differ between the ones treating tapas as just small dishes served with alcoholic beverages, and the ones claiming tapas were meant to keep drinks from dust or bugs.
According to one story, in the 13th century, King Alfonso V from Castilla found out that after a night of drinking, he can only eat small dishes with his wine. Therefore, he preferred his servants to serve him with some ham, cheese, or olives.
Another version relates to the actual word “tapas” in Spanish, which means a cover or a lid. According to this version, tapas were invented by pubs that wanted to keep their customers happy by keeping their drinks. In some places, flies or dust would enter the bottle or glass and ruined the enjoyment of the drinks. The solution was to cover the glass with a nice piece of ham or a pastry, which served as a lid.
Nowadays tapas is a true pride of Spanish cuisine. Some tapas bars in Madrid or Barcelona will even give you free tapas with every drink you’ll get (making you want to order more and more). It is also widely spread worldwide, with each country adding the local versions of its tapas.
