Where do tapas actually come from?

Many people will know it, tapas. If you ask people around you what tapas are, most will be able to tell you that tapas are small dishes that come from Spanish cuisine. However, if you ask further how tapas originally came about, many people will have to admit they don't know.

The history

Initially, it was assumed that tapas had everything to do with the Spanish King Alfonso X. This king was quite ill and could not tolerate large meals. Therefore, he always had small snacks and combined them with wine. Wine has since been inextricably linked with a small dish. It even took on such a significant form that the king ensured that no wine could be served in Spain without a small snack also being consumed with it. However, if you delve deeper into history, you will discover that tapas did not originate with King Alfonso X.

The farmers and construction workers had a tough time. The work was hard, and there arose a need for a snack to bridge the time until the main meal. The consequence of this snack was that the workers needed a ‘siesta’ to digest this greasy food. Soon, a glass of wine was drunk along with it, as alcohol aided digestion. And in the winter months, it also warmed the body.

Later, all sorts of taverns and bottle shops sprang up, and people returned to the wise king. Served glasses of wine were covered with a slice of cheese or smoked ham. Covering the glass of wine prevented flies from getting into it. In addition, the alcohol was better processed by the body because something was eaten along with it.

Tapas on the rise

Tapas are booming in the Netherlands. More and more people are going out for tapas, and there are also more and more homemade traditional tapas dishes being made for snacks. If you enjoy cooking and experimenting, you can also serve tapas as a full meal. Your homemade tapas dishes will have an even more beautiful appearance and look if you use tapas kitchen products such as wooden tapas platters. Make your set table look even more beautiful and cozy with, for example, napkins with a nice print and a chic tapas platter.