Sunday, March 28, 2010

Experimenting with Appetizers


Grape tomatoes stuffed with avocado and goat cheese

It is important to make the distinction between appetizers and tapas. Tapas, small dishes served in Spain, are one an excellent way to taste a variety of different mini-meals. According to legend, the tapa tradition began when Castile's King Alfonso X or Alfonso the Wise recovered from an illness by drinking wine mixed with small dishes between meals. After the king recovered from his illness the king ordered that taverns were not allowed to serve wine to customers if not accompanied by a small snack or tapas. The word became a kind of loophole in the law to allow drinkers to imbibe alcohol.

The serving of tapas is also designed to encourage conversation because people are not so focused upon eating an entire meal that is set before them.

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