International day of tapas
Last week millions of consumers celebrated with the International Day of the Tapa, this enjoyable piece of micro gastronomy.
We need to go back to the XIII century to find out that the Spanish king Alfonso X “The Wise” was always concerned for the health of his citizens, imposing the need to eat something before having a glass of wine to avoid early drunkenness. The fact that in those days flies and mosquitos were abundant prompted the bartenders to put a slice of cheese or jam on top of the glass as a ‘cover’ or lid (the meaning of tapa) while at the same time the patron had to eat it removing it before drinking, following then in a natural way the recommendation of their King.
Some centuries later, in the windy province of Cadiz, another king, Ferdinand the Catholic, when stopping at a bar for a break, was offered a glass of sherry with a piece of cheese on top of it to avoid the dust and sand dragged by the wind entering the glass and ruining the sherry.
The fact is that tapas nowadays have evolved from a slice of cheese or jam to a glorious masterpiece of micro gastronomy with millions of different recipes from the classical slice of bread with a piece of jam (pincho if it’s fixed with a spike) to the most sophisticated of culinary preparations.
According to a survey carried out last year by the Spanish Federation of Bars (CEHE), 74% of tourists visiting a bar in Spain ask for a tapa and 78% of bartenders describe the tapa as the most significant attraction of Spanish cuisine.