Perfect Tapa?

When talking about Spain and its traditions there are several topics that are reflected in the collective imagination of the rest of the world, namely: flamenco, paella, bullfighting, wine … But among all these examples of Hispanic culture I want to highlight the one that, because of my profession on one hand and, due to my gastronomic liking and socializing desire on the other, more experience I have and more experiences has provided me. This is: going out for tapas.

There are many myths and legends about the origin of this activity. Being the oldest from the Middle Ages and the most modern from the twentieth century, many of these stories (mostly counting on a purely oral tradition) have certain points in common: the use of food (ham, cheese, bread …) to cover the wine glasses in order to avoid mosquitoes, dust and sand to end up inside the precious broth; the figure of a king who helped to introduce and implement this type of custom, etc …

“It is up to each one to walk the streets investigating and testing”

The reality is that, nowadays, the fact that in bars and taverns they serve you something to eat (tapa) along with your drink is a tradition that is widespread in most Spanish regions. Although in this, as in everything else, there is a wide range of qualities and quantities regarding the so-called tapa. This can go from simple chips to a tasty bite of something that can delight the most discerning of the palates.

All this will depend on the area you are and above all on the desire of the establishment to honor this noble tradition, so it is up to each one to walk the streets investigating and testing on every place what they have to offer, continuing with hope that search that perhaps, some day, will lead us to find that tavern in which we are served, finally, the perfect tapa.

And if you want a guide tour, you can join us every day.