Tapas

Tapas is a very cool tradition that I do not get to participate it much being a vegetarian.  It sucks because it seems like such a cool idea and everyone is doing it!  So for those of you who do not know what tapas is let me enlighten you now.  Basically you can go to any bar/café and purchase a drink, with that drink you can, sometimes even for free, get yourself a small snack.  These include but are not limited to small sandwiches (bocadillos), croquettes, crusty bread with various meats on it, cheese and meat plates, olives, potatos etc.  It is pretty neat.  So usually even if you have to pay for it you are looking at about 2.50 for a drink and a snack which is pretty decent.  So a lot of people do not even eat dinner they will just go out for tapas.  Sometimes you can get a larger plate of something and your group of friends can just all share it and then get another plate to share of something else.  I was told the tradition started because when people had a drink they wanted something to put over it so that flies would not get in it so they started serving small snacks on tiny plates or napkins. 

Most people when they go out for tapas will move from bar to bar enjoying a drink and a different snack at each one.  Likely your group will go to about 5 different places.  Sometimes everyone will throw in money and when that money is gone they either stop or throw in more or at each bar a different person takes a turn paying.  I like how social it is.  I just wish we could actually enjoy it.  Being a vegetarian makes it tough because sometimes there is not even one option I can have.  Like I have said before, it’s all about the meats here.  My usual option is patatas bravas (potato chunks in a garlic sauce) it is delicious but when that is the only thing at each place you kind of get sick of it quickly.  Sometimes we get lucky and they have a cheese sandwich or a mushroom croquette but usually we can only drink so we end up just eating dinner first if we are going out just in case we find nothing.

I definitely recommend that if you are visiting or living in Spain you experience a night or many nights of tapas.  Just be warned Vegheads it can be a challenge for us!  And vegans don’t even bother there is nothing for you.  But if you like meats you will be in heaven.