Small Spanish appetizers or snacks, typically served with drinks in bars. These dishes range from simple olives to elaborate small plates.
From Spanish tapa meaning 'lid' or 'cover,' originally referring to the slice of bread or ham used to cover wine glasses to keep flies out. The culinary tradition developed in Andalusia, and the word expanded to mean any small plate served with drinks.
The tradition of tapas supposedly began when King Alfonso X of Castile required taverns to serve food with alcohol to prevent drunkenness among his soldiers! The practice of covering drinks evolved into an entire culinary culture, proving that sometimes the best innovations come from practical solutions to everyday problems.
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