Exploring Spanish Culture through Tapas

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Tapas in Spain Food plays a big role in many cultures around the world. When traveling, trying the local cuisine is always a must. Especially when visiting the country of Spain. Food is what brings people together, it is that warm feeling you get when sharing a meal with friends and family. One tradition of Spain that is very well know is going out for tapas. Tapas is a spanish word for small servings of food, that are served with drinks, similar to an appetizer. They serve as an opportunity for people to socialize over drinks, without eating full meals. The history of tapas is believed to have started in the thirteenth century from the Castilian King Alfonso X. There are many stories as to how the serving of tapas started. The tradition
Tapas are know to be small finger foods, that are easy to eat while socializing and having drinks. The types of varieties of tapas are endless but there are a few dishes that are very common, and praised. Typically things such as cured meats, especially ham it is very popular in spain. Jamon Iberico is a very popular tapa, it is made exclusively from the leg of the pig and sliced at 20 degrees celsius in thin slices. Finger foods such as ham, cheese, and olives are very popular tapas dishes. Another tapas dish that is very well know and sought after in spain is Bocadillo de calamari. This is fried fried calamari dredged in in flower and then fried. It is served on bread with a lemon wedge. It is a very simple dish, but its fresh ingredients and simplicity is what people come back for. Another very popular tapa in spain is Gambas ajillo. This dish also has very few ingredients, shrimp is cooked in garlic and olive oil, with dried green chillies. This is a very popular dish along with the other tapas mentioned, they are usually prepared with few ingredients, or sometimes even no cooking at all. “Also common, are certain cooked dishes such as fried potatoes with spicy sauce, known as patatas bravas, Spanish omelet known as tortilla de patatas, meatballs in tomato sauce, or fried calamari. In practice, any dish can be served as a tapa, and today even the world of Spanish haute-cuisine has adopted this national culinary treasure.” These are just a few of the endless different types tapas that can be served. Although it is popular for tapas to be few ingredients, and cold food that doesn't have to be prepared, any food can be a tapa as long as it is a small serving with your

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