“things to nibble”) such as olives and almonds; fried foods such as croquetas; and hot, saucy foods that come in small earthenware casseroles called cazuelas. ORIGINS AND INFLUENCES Tapas originated in Andalusia, where sherry is made. The word comes from the verb tapar, “to cover.” Glasses of sherry would be covered with a piece of ham or cheese to keep the flies and the dust off, so it is said, and from there the snacks evolved. The fact that people needed to nibble on something while sipping the fortified wine, and that the intense heat of the long Andalusian summers made people less inclined to eat big meals, probably had just as much to do with it. Today some of Spain’s tapas bars are sleek, bright, and modern, their cutting edge tapas set out on specially crafted serving trays, in shot glasses, and on spoons and skewers. Patxi Bergara and his wife, Blanca Ameztoy, create contemporary pintxos such as “False Anchovy Lasagna” on pages 20–21 at their Bar Bergara in San Sebastián, Spain. In Madrid’s Europa Decó restaurant in the Hotel Urban, Chef Joaquín Felípe is creating fanciful tapas such as Serrano Ham Cones with Migas and Quail Eggs (pages 40–41) and the fusion-inspired Red Tuna Bites on page 48. In the stratosphere of Spanish food science, dishes such as Chef Ferran Adriá’s liquid olive “grapes,” liquefied olives encased in a skin, are inspired by the simplest of tapas, marinated olives. Tapas have provided Spanish chefs with a template for exploring the country’s regional cuisines. Twenty years ago you would never find gazpacho or salmorejo
Slices of cheese or ham, which were originally intended to keep insects and dust out of one’s drink, may have been a precursor to tapas as we know them today.
Gazpacho, the refreshing Andalusian soup that was once sustenance for workers in the fields, is now often served in shot glasses in stylish tapas bars.
TA PA S | SPAIN AND THE WORLD TABLE
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outside of Andalusia. Now you’ll find it in tapas bars in Barcelona, Madrid, and San Sebastián served in small shot glasses. What was once considered traditional and regional is suddenly contemporary and cosmopolitan. In addition to the recipes in this chapter, there are other recipes featured in this book, particularly the cold soups, some of the seafood dishes, and some of the salads and vegetable dishes, which can be served as tapas. Ensaladilla Rusa (pages 94–95) and Garlic Potatoes (page 98), for example, are traditionally served in bars all over Spain. Contemporary chefs serve gazpacho and its variations, such as the Beet and Cherry Gazpacho on page 73 and the Cold Almond and Garlic Soup on pages 74–75 in small shot glasses. TAPAS COMES TO AMERICA Chefs in the United States have been greatly influenced by the tapas tradition, particularly in the last ten years, when we’ve seen a proliferation of restaurants with menus built around little dishes, shared at the table. The word is used rather loosely; the type of dish described as a tapa may not have its roots in Spain. The custom itself will never be the same here, simply because the Spanish tapeo is a social tradition that has evolved in a very different type of setting. In America, we dine early; we are used to finishing a meal at about the time a Spanish diner would be just beginning to think about where to go for dinner. So the idea of small dishes with exciting flavors and textures has taken hold as a meal concept, and American diners will happily sip wine by the glass while dining on a selection of them.