Few dishes provide quite the culinary journey and the sheer wealth of different flavours as Iberico tapas, with each of the tiny plates showcasing a different piece of the Mediterranean.
What makes it such an incredible dish is its versatility, as tapas can be a sharing platter for a celebration, a main meal or a snack to enjoy whilst enjoying both fine drink and fine company.
As with many culinary traditions, the story of tapas is itself a fascinating one that started out almost as a necessity for a number of reasons.
Put The Lid On
Tapas derives from the Spanish word “tapar”, which translates as “to cover” or “to put the lid on” and this term comes from several somewhat popular stories surrounding a particularly delicious cover.
In Andalusia, a tradition for centuries was to place a slice of bread or meat over the top of a sherry glass to protect the sweet drink from attracting fruit flies, which the drinker would then eat after finishing their glass.
Typically this slice of meat would either be especially salted ham or chorizo. Part of the reason for this would be because salted ham is easier to preserve and lasts longer, but an interesting byproduct is that the salted meat would make people more thirsty as they drank.
This was similar to how pubs in England used to sprinkle salt into their beer before pub snacks became popular.
As a result of this, a popular origin story for how Tapas evolved from a slice of ham to the array of tiny plates we know and love today was the result of a tavern visit by King Alfonso XIII.
According to the story, he ordered a cup of wine from the Cádiz establishment, which in the Andalusian tradition placed a slice of cured ham over the top to protect it from flies and coastal winds.
The king drank the wine, ate the tapa and ordered another wine specifically with the cover.
This is a popular explanation for the tradition, but it is not the only one.
Learn Through Tasting
Another popular explanation for the origin of tapas comes from the inns and taverns of Spain before the 19th century. In an era when travellers often could not read and innkeepers could not write, the dishes on offer for the night were placed on a pot cover so they could be sampled by guests.
Eventually, this tradition continued to the point where the small dishes themselves became the appeal, particularly since most tapas can be eaten at a bar or whilst drinking.
Finally, there is the story of King Alfonso X of Castille, who might have been the origin of the entire tapas tradition according to some stories.
The tale begins with the king coming down with an illness that affected his appetite, so to try and help him recover, he drank wine and had small dishes instead of larger meals.
Once he got better, he made a proclamation that all taverns must serve a small snack with their wine to customers, an order which many owners were more than happy to oblige.