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Little Plates, Big Taste
According to legend (and varying from one Spanish region to another), the etymology of the word ‘tapas’ is owed to small plates of food that arrive at the diner’s table balanced on top of a glass of wine or beer. ‘Tapa’ means ‘top’, you see. Another variant states that patrons would put their empty plates or bar napkins over their drink to avoid an unwanted bug from falling inside. Either way, the translation remains the same. What doesn’t remain the same, however, is the parade of plates that come and go on a typical tapas crawl in Spain’s capital, Madrid. That’s where these bad boys originate and it is a philosophy of dining that celebrates variety and makes eating almost an interactive sport.
For one, only a fool would stay in any one tapas bar for more than 20 minutes. The idea here is to go foraging, in a way, for your next meal at the next bar down the road. Of course, this crawl is meant to be done with a group of over-exuberant friends just as hungry for good company as for the local anchovies swimming in golden extra virgin olive oil. If one were to analyze the custom honestly, it can be argued that the actual tapas are secondary to the drinking of alcohol, notably Cava, a ubiquitous Champagne-like sparkling wine that flows liberally at these establishments. The entire ritual, if one can call it that, is a beautiful thing --- friends, travel, exploration, booze and really, really good food. Add to all this that the tapas are on the house so long as you continue to imbibe and you’re talking about something the whole world should support. Having dinner at 11pm, though, may not catch on quite as much. But that’s a topic for another time.
A track by track listing of the Tapas Greatest Hits, would go a little something like this: Spanish olives, pit in place, served simply in their own oil. Meatballs snuggled together in an earthenware bowl covered in tomato sauce sprinkled with saffron and almond slivers. The revered jamon Serrano, ham derived from a princely pig, cured and glistening, served with crusty bread. Grilled marinated octopus. Plump croquettes and a dish full of gamesmanship, Padron peppers. The aforementioned flavor bombs are blistered in a hot, cast iron pan with oil then served with a sprinkling of salt. The element of surprise that makes these a standout is not knowing which ones are mild and which will have you sweating through your eyeballs. Now that’s a real bar snack!
