A Spanish Feast

In Europe, due to seasonal employment, dinner tends to be eaten after work anytime from 9 pm to midnight. That's a lot of workers, working through many hungry hours, between lunch and the final meal of the day. To alleviate hunger, tapas prepared and enjoyed. Tapas are small plates of appetizers that can be served hot or cold, and in between regular meals. In Spain, there are thousands of tapas bars throughout the country where locals and tourists come together to enjoy many of these small plates. Tapas bars are gathering places to enjoy lively conversation, creating an opportunity to socialize before and after work, and anytime in between. These dishes range from nuts and olives, Patatas Bravas, Manchego cheese, and Gambas al Ajilo. These dishes are almost are always accompanied by alcohol. There theories regarding the tradition and how it came about. Legends indicate to the 13th Century and the Wise King of Spain, King Alfonso 10th, became seriously ill. His illness limited his ability to consume food and wine in small amounts. Upon his recovery, it is said that he issued a decree that mandated inns to serve wine only when accompanied by food. A variation of this tale is that the decree was actually created to prevent misconduct and drunkenness by making a purchase of wine, instead of food, illegal to peasant class. Although, some historians claim that the Tapas tradition was brought about by farmers and field workers, needing energy to continue physically demanding labor, began consuming small amounts of food in between meals. They began snacking on small dishes and a bit of wine to sustain their energy throughout the laborious day. Whatever the reason, today, tapas are the perfect way to savor the rich flavors and culture of Spain.