I love Tapas bars.
I have reviewed a few good quality bars and restaurants to provide to my guest’s an informative folder of local information, if you want to enjoy my recommendations just need to stay in Ca’n Perlita, your holiday home.
Perhaps you know that one of the most popular and a traditional activity is to go out for tapas. Tapas, also known as pinchos, are small snack size portions of food that are served in most bars throughout Spain.
The word Tapa in Spanish literally means “cover” and it is thought that the tradition evolved from the practice of covering the wine glasses with small plates of bread or cured ham to keep out insects or other impurities.
Most tapas bars do not wait tables and most people enjoy their tapa on foot along the bar’s counter where the different tapas are arranged. As I prefer to reserve a table and sit down, my favorite tapas bar is located just 10 minutes walk away from home.
For Spanish people, it is very common to “ir de tapas” which is the practice of visiting various bars and snacking in each one until you have had your meal. It is also common to dine on raciones, larger portions of any given appetizer, which are usually all shared among the group.
Tapas mix the concept of eating with socializing and the act is called tapear in Spanish. Bars serve as the logical meeting place and where friends meet regularly.
Nowadays there are bars that specialize in tapas which as developed into a phenomenon known as miniature cuisine. Gourmet chefs, such as Ferran Adriá, have also incorporated tapas as starters into their fine Spanish cuisine menus.
The type and variety of tapas that you will find in Spain depend greatly on the region and the cuisine of the area. There is no defining characteristic as to how large or small a tapa will be, although the majority of them are about four bites.
Additionally, there are many different categories of tapas including cold or hot tapas, skewered tapas, small hot or cold sandwiches called montaditos, tapas of traditional dishes served in small clay pots or simply olives or cheese accompanied by bread.
Remember, tapas come in just about any form that you can imagine depending on the bar and the region.
I hope you enjoy my Tapas bar selection.
