What is Tapas?
- Definition of Tapas:
- (n. pl. ta•pas (-päs, -päz) Any of various small, savory Spanish dishes, often served as a snack or with other tapas as a meal.
Tapas is a plural term, so you should really be asking ‘What are Tapas’. A ‘tapa’ is not a type of food, but a way of eating it. Tapas can be anything – traditionally Spanish or traditionally Sheffield–ish — as long as it is small!
The exact origin of tapas is disputed & there are numerous theories:
- Field workers would take a small meal of olives, bread, ham & cheese with them into the fields;
- Unscrupulous tavern owners used slices of strong smelling cheese to disguise the bad wine they were serving;
- A Spanish king took small bites of food with wine when ill. Once recovered he decreed wine should always be served with food.
- Tapas (from tapa “lid” or “cover”) was a slice of ham covering a glass of sherry – perhaps to keep out flies. Cured meats made customers thirsty and purchase yet more wine
Whatever its origins, as customs do, eating tapas evolved & became a social ritual in restaurants across Spain. Today at Spinrocs, we see our tapas as:
- Accompanying a drink; or
- A kind of Spanish dim sum – a collection of small dishes to create an individualised meal which suits your own individual tastes.
Our menu retains some traditional Spanish tapas dishes (ie olives, chorizo & tortilla) but we have also incorporated more contemporary world dishes (ie quesadilla, greek mezze & curried beef). We see this is as an entirely natural evolution of tapas in the UK. This small island has a long history of embracing world cuisine & putting a British idiosyncratic stamp on it. Why else has chicken tikka masalla become the most popular dish in the UK today?
We very much hope that you enjoy the Spinrocs world tapas experience and welcome any suggestions or feedback that you offer. Comments cards are given along with the bill or can be located on the bar or alternatively you can email lisa@spinrocs.com or paul@spinrocs.com.