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Having lived in Spain and married a Spaniard, I have had the enormous pleasure of having tapas on a yearly basis while visiting family in Spain! First the tapas story - Tapas come from the word "tapar", meaning "to cover" in Spanish. As one story goes, bars began serving small plates of food that could be used to cover your glass of beer or wine from the flies. (Throwing around a little background history helps you look like an expert!)

In Spain, tapas can be of two varieties, small plates of food that are served with your drink or a larger platter of food (called raciones in Spain), similar to an American appetizer. When you order a drink in a Spanish neighborhood bar or restaurant, you always receive a small portion of food, typically almonds, a small square of Spanish potato omelette, boquerones (marinated smelt), olives, or maybe even something a bit more upscale like a little bit of paella if you are lucky! Along the coast, especially in very small towns, you might receive a bit of the freshest calamar or other seafood that you ever had in your life! Many regions have typical tapas, such as the fabulous canapes of all sorts that you find in Basque restaurants and bars.

So as far as ordering goes, if you are in Spain or at an authentic Spanish restaurant outside Spain, order: jamon de pata negra (the best cured Spanish ham - from black-hooved pigs), queso manchego (manchego cheese from Castilla-la Mancha, don Quijote's stomping grounds), maybe some chorizo (you can order chorizo frito which is cooked or chorizo which is cured and sliced like salami), bravas (deep-fried pieces of potato with a spicy tomato sauce), croquetas (fish or chicken croquettes), morcilla (fried blood sausage -very tasty actually!), pulpo (octopus - also delicious and served with a little paprika and a potato), calamares, ...the list is endless!

On weekends, and even during the week, many Spaniards meet up with friends and have a dinner just grazing on tapas at one locale or at a number of them! Spain has the highest number of bars per capita in the world and tapas are one of the things that make Spanish bars so great! These places are authentic neighborhood joints, oftentimes, where people young and old get together to discuss the news, have a little refreshment, play a game of cards, and then head home!

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