Tapas History: A Timeline of All the Theories

Originally posted October 20, 2022
Reposted May 3, 2022

Tapas Time(line) and More Theories.

Tapas is a quintessential Spanish experience. It’s not just food, it’s the whole social culture. By now, many know that tapas comes from the word “tapas” meaning “to cover”. But many may not know all the theories and claims to tapas history.

A Timeline of Tapas History

Royal Tapas His Stories

Mid-1200s

King Alfonso X contracted a serious illness during his reign. He was prescribed small portions of food with his wine between meals. When he eventually recovered, he learned first-hand how eating while drinking can diminish the effects of alcohol.

As such, he encouraged households to serve a small portion of food alongside wine to prevent public drunkenness. This was also a way to help feed the poor who spent their meager wages on wine rather than food – you know, drinking priorities.

Early 1600s

Much like the story of King Alfonso X, King Felipe III was said to have created a decree to prevent drunken behavior in taverns. His law required bartenders to cover alcoholic beverages with a small quantity of food.

Late 1800s

While visiting Cadiz on the southern coast of Spain, King Alfonso XIII ordered a glass of wine in a popular tavern near the beach. His waiter rushed over to cover his glass with a slice of jamon in order to protect the wine from the beach sand. When the king ordered a second round he requested “vino con tapas”.

And So the Story Goes…

”Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition”

During the Spanish Inquisition years, it has been told that tapas were used as a tool to identify Jews as tapas was primarily jamon or other non-kosher food items. Those in taverns, not eating tapas were suspected of being Jewish or, if newly Christian, they still hung on to their Jewish customs.

The stinkier the cheese, the tastier

In the 16th century, tavern owners in Castile-La Mancha realized that smell of strong, mature cheese could mask the sour scents of bad wine. So to garner sales of drinks, they gave free cheese covering the wine.

Will travel for food

In the late 18th century, tapas were seen in hotels, inns, hostels, and wine bars. These small plates were offered to their guests and travelers, many of whom could not read as literacy was quite low at that time. To solve that problem, innkeepers would lay out a spread of small dishes on the tapa, or on the pot cover.

Farmers’ feed

Another theory for tapas with no timeline points to farmers who ate small meals throughout the working day along with wine, of course, to have enough energy between meals.

Tapar the tapas

One of the most popular histories of tapas is its origin in the Andalusia area of Spain. Thin slices of bread, jamon, or chorizo covered the patrons’ glasses of sweet sherry as a means of preventing fruit flies from drowning in the drinks.

As the popularity of these tapas expanded to other taverns, restaurant owners introduced a wider selection of small plates to increase alcohol sales. At the same time, most people would stand while eating in tapas taverns, so these small plates on top of their drinks actually made it easier to eat.

Angela

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Angela

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