Information AboutTapas |
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| spanish cuisine | |
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''Tapas'' are essentially Snack s. In many regions of Spain they are often included in the price of drinks ( Beer , Wine , not soft drinks or Spirits ) served in Bars . In this case, they can amount to as little as a few Olives , a piece of Cheese , or something more substantial like a pork stew. Bigger portions that are ordered to make up part of a meal are called ''raciones''. The portions are usually shared by diners, and a meal made up of raciones resembles a Middle Eastern Mezze or a shared Chinese meal. Spaniards usually have dinner sometime between 9 PM and 11 PM, and often go "bar hopping" and eating tapas in the time between finishing work and having a full meal. ''Tapa'' means "cover" in Spanish. There are several explanations for the Etymology of "tapa":
In the Philippines , this “cover” evolved to become a Thin Strip Of Beef which is nowadays eaten, along with Rice , as a full meal, usually for breakfast. In the northern Spanish city of León , and in parts of southern Spain ( Andalucía ), when you go to a bar and order a drink, you get a ''tapa'' for free. This happens mostly in the province of Jaén , Granada and Córdoba but it is not very common in the rest of Andalusia, where you have to pay for both the drink and the ''tapa''. Sometimes, especially in Northern Spain, they are also called ''pinchos'' (often spelled ''pintxos'' in the Basque Country), because many of them have a ''pincho'', or Toothpick through them. This is used to keep whatever the snack is made of from falling off the Bread it has been attached to. Another name for them is ''banderillas'' (diminutive of bandera "flag"), in part because some of them resemble the colorful skewers used in Bullfighting . It is very common for a bar or a small local restaurant to have 6-8 different kinds of ''tapas'' in warming trays with glass partitions covering the food. They are often very strongly flavored with garlic, chillis or paprika, and sometimes swimming in olive oil. Often one or more of the choices is Seafood or ''mariscos'', often including Anchovies , Sardine s or Mackerel in Olive Oil or Squid or others in a Tomato based sauce, sometimes with the addition of red or green Peppers or other Seasoning . It is rare to see a tapas selection not include one or more types of olives, such as manzanilla or arbequina olives. One or more types of bread are usually available to eat with any of the sauce-based tapas. Upscale tapas restaurants are common in the United States , where a series of tapas are typically served as a main course. Not to be confused with 'montaditos' (a small open sandwich as eaten by flamenco guitarist Paco Pena). Common tapas include: ;Chorizo al vino : Chorizo sausage slowly cooked in wine. ;Gambas : Prawns sauteed in salsa negra or garlic. ;Rajo : Pork meat seasoned with Garlic and Parsley . ;Zorza :Rajo with added Paprika . ;Queso con anchoas : Castilla cured cheese with anchovies on top. ;Ensaladilla :Mixed boiled vegetables with Tuna , olives and Mayonnaise . ;Tortilla :De patata ( Potatoe s) or paisana (mixed vegetables and chorizo), a type of Omelette , similar to Fritatta . ;Allioli :Meaning "Garlic and oil" in Catalan (the classic ingredients are only garlic, oil and salt) a very strong garlic paste. Served on bread or with potatoes, fish, meat or grilled vegetables. EXTERNAL LINKS
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