A Little History on the Origins of Tapas
The true origin of the tapas culture is still a subject of much debate. Here are a couple of the more common explanations.
Tapas originates from the spanish word tapea, which means to cover. Traditionally, tapas consists of small slices of bread, cheeses ormeats placed atop of the glasses of drinks ordered. The strategic value of placing food over drinks as a lid is most prominently seen in the Southern provinces of Spain. Down south where the weather is warmer,the sweet scent of alcohol attracts flies easily.
By covering drinks with tapas, the flies are prevented access to the most precious beer, wines or spirits beneath. Providing a small portion of food conveniently on top of the glass will in addition encourage the patrons of the bar to consume some food before drink. This will allow customers to not drink on an empty stomach and hence increasing their tolerance for alcohol.
Alternatively, some believe that it was the Castilian King Alfonso X who was the originator of these delights. During his rule in the 13th century over Seville, Cordoba and Jaen, he was advised by his doctors to cut back on his calories due to health issues. As a result, his personal chefs came up with a solution to meet his dietary and medical requirements by serving him tiny morsels of food instead of large meals. Little did anyone know, these tiny morsels tasted so good that the King and, soon, everyone else became so fond of them resulting in the creation of the tapas culture.
