Tapas in Catalonia, and Everywhere

Why you should have small bites instead of big meals

Thank you so much for joining me on this adventure! I appreciate you for being here, and especially enjoy your comments and questions.

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Spain presented to the world a wonderful treat called tapas.

There are many (some dubious) stories about where the idea originated, going back to the 13th century, but my favorite involves someone placing a small plate on top of a wine glass to keep the bugs out, and then an enterprising barkeep putting a salty snack on the plate, to encourage the consumption of more wine. In the U.S. you might encounter a bowl of popcorn (you might have to fill the bowl yourself), or in really fancy places, salted peanuts (which, by the way, are not traditionally salted here in Italy).

A CONE OF MEAT — with cheese and breadsticks for balance — from a market in Barcelona.

Nowadays, when you order a drink in Spain (and sometimes in Italy and other European countries), they set down a small, complimentary bowl of chips or nuts alongside. Here in Bra, the two wine bars frequented by both students and locals give you plates that might include crackers and cheese and focaccia, although we call this appertivo, which actually refers to the pre-dinner drink — the snacks are just an extension of the drink. (Welcome to Italy.)

On a recent visit to Milano, they served us a small meal, pictured above, with popcorn, chips, and taralli crackers, plus frittata, polpetta, and more. That’s a lot for a drink at 7 pm, but you also need to consider it’s going to be 2-3 hours before the locals sit down to supper.

In the U.S. and elsewhere, tapas has evolved to mean “small plates” — when you’re not looking for a full meal, or you are and want to construct it from smaller ones, or when you need a lot of small bites to feed a larger group.

BTW, the word pintxo (or poncho or pinchu) may have also crossed your path, or it will soon, I’m certain. This tapas style originates from northern Spain, and probably has a skewer in it to hold everything in place. But considering the way tapas has migrated and expanded both in geography and definition, I suppose the terms tapas and pintxo remain fairly interchangeable.

Above: Seafood snacks I helped prepare for panel discussion on sustainable seafood just outside Barcelona. Yes, they gave me a knife and put me to work, and you'll hear much more about that story and what adventure follows it soon. (No, I was not on the panel.)

Above: Small bites — more CONES! — from a touristy market in Barcelona. Note that tacos are quite universal. A clue to the visitor-targeting nature of this market is the unnatural color of that cheese sauce.

Above: Here’s some vegetable matter to balance out the fried food, in cones, of course. And the cups of fruits — note the slices of fresh dragon fruit — are great, but I'm not a fan of the plastic.

Above: Pintxo from a bar in Barcelona, more polpetta, cheese, sausage, and quail eggs. Below: Pintxo and patatas bravas in Figueres, Spain.

A friend, just learning of my passion for tinned fish, recommended I visit Quimet & Quimet in Barcelona. I expected a specialty store for canned seafood, but instead encountered a magical and highly inspirational tapas bar focused on tinned fish. I enjoyed eating the ones pictured below and watching the ones above, as I was perched at the pass for a good view of everything being served from the kitchen. And I can’t really call that a kitchen, because it was really just a small space to open cans and assemble simple but beautiful small delicacies.

I’ve been learning a lot here at UNISG about the satisfaction of eating — not just the physical sensation of being full, but also the pleasure of enjoying food that tastes good. Portion sizes and quantities play an important role here, because if you eat too much, that pleasure quickly turns to discomfort. I’ve long told people how to fully enjoy Kakao Chocolate truffles, by taking two bites of the small confections, because only by slowing down and taking your time can you truly taste the love.

Tapas goes even further with a beautiful variety. We can enjoy a large variety of small bites, take our time and savor the flavors of each dish, share them with others and talk about which we like best, and linger over tasty tidbits with a drink.

And sometimes that’s all you really need for a fully enjoyable meal.

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