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Let’s get one thing straight: Tapas are not appetizers. In fact, tapas only came to be out of necessity. Historians cite plenty of different potential sources for the name of the now-famous Spanish word, but all seem to portray a situation in which the tapa served a purpose beyond priming the taste buds for the main course.
One possible root of the word tells the story of poorer times in Spain, when travelers couldn’t afford a full plate of food on the way to wherever they were going. Owners of the bodegas, inns, and restaurants along the road came up with a solution: They offered small portions of the main dish at a discounted rate. They called them tapas, because the word tapa means pot cover, and that’s the surface on which these restaurateurs would serve patrons their sample.
Tapa is the word for pot cover because the verb form of the word, tapar, means to cover. That’s why other historians believe that the concept of the tapa came from the south of Spain, where bar patrons likely ordered the sweet sherry that comes from the region. The sugary libation, paired with Andalusia’s year-round warmth and sunshine, meant that it attracted fruit flies whenever it sat on the bar for too long. To solve the problem, bartenders started to cover cups with slices of bread or ham to keep flies from the prize.
No matter where the word came from, one thing is for sure: The tapa has endured centuries of changing diets and lifestyles. They’ve even managed to make their way from the Mediterranean shores of Spain to the United States and beyond. Here, there, and everywhere, the tapa is perfect when paired with a night on the town. A large group can order a table full of tapas so everyone has a taste of everything without overdoing it. It’s even more fun when enjoyed with Spanish red wine, of course.
Perhaps you want to take your love of tapas one step further, foregoing the local Spanish restaurant and trying your hand at prepping some of your own small plates to share with your closest amigos. You obviously have creative license when you’re in the kitchen and can take your tapas party wherever you want it to go. However, the following four recipe ideas are some of the most time-honored ones in all of Spain. Whip them up and you’re well on your way to an authentic night in Madrid, Barcelona, or Seville, without boarding a single plane.
No Spanish tapas spread would be complete without a selection of meats – especially the pricey-but-worth-it Serrano ham – cheeses, tangy olives, crunchy breadsticks called picos, and a baguette. Obviously, you can buy these things from your local grocer, so there’s no need to cure a ham leg or bake bread on your own. What you can do is fry up some almonds for your party, which is another common tapa and a tasty addition to your charcuterie platter.
Since you probably don’t have a deep fryer on hand, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and pull out the following ingredients:
This Spanish classic is often confused for an omelet, but it’s so much more. Inside of your triangular slice, you’ll find thin slices of savory fried potato that take it to a whole other level. Spaniards argue over whether the tortilla should contain onions as well – I vote yes. Some versions of the recipe even call for zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, and more. As a general rule, if you like it in an omelet, you’ll love it in a tortilla Española.
This time, potatoes take center stage in a zesty, spicy sauce-covered dish that’s a crowd pleaser. You can pair it with Spanish aioli sauce to cut down on some of the heat.
Here’s the toughest Spanish specialty to master, but you’ll be glad you did. You can really mix things up in terms of filling for these fried finger foods – ham, chicken, cheese, mushrooms – which means you can have great variety and even vegetarian options at your tapas party.
It might be a great effort to put together the Spanish-style fiesta you envision, but one taste, one clink of the wine glasses, and one hearty laugh between you and all of your friends will prove it all to be worth it. No one ever accused tapas and red wine of being boring, either, so get ready to really enjoy the small plates you’ve created. In other words, with these four recipes, your party is tapada – it’s covered.
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