tapas

If you have ever been to Spain or know Spanish culture, you will know what Tapas are.
If you don't here is a little Spanish lesson.
Tapas are a type of Spanish food that are served at bars and can be made at home.
It's not a meal nor an appetizer, it's just a little something to go with your beer, wine, sangria, kalimotxo or whatever you are drinking.
It's usually small and can be eaten in a couple of bites and are fairly cheap.
I grew up eating Tapas at home when we would have people over and they're easy to make and can make a lot to feed about 10 people.
Croquetas, Tortilla de patata, jamón iberico (or jamón serrano- another delicious ham), meatballs, chorizo, etc.
I felt like a child again just getting my hands on these wonderful Spanish food.

Also on this Tapas tour, I learned where the name "Tapas" came from, a piece of information that was new to me.
Legend has it that one of the Kings of Spain (I forgot which one, I'm sorry, I was too busy thinking about Tapas) was outside on his terrace drinking cava (champagne). On this particular day, it was very windy and the King didn't want his cava to spill, so he called a waiter over and the waiter brought him a piece of baguette with jamón on it and covered the glass of Cava. When asked what it was the waiter said "It's a tapa."
(Sidebar: Tapa means to cover in Spanish- so when the waiter put the bread and ham on the cava he was "covering" the glass of Cava.)

And since then the King always ordered a piece of bread and ham every time he had a drink.
Passed on for years, the bars/ restaurants always try to serve tapas with every drink and in some parts of Spain, tapas are free with the drink.

Tapa #1: Bread topped with Tomato Juice, Olive Oil and Salt. A typical Barcelona tapa

Tapa #2: Chorizo. A type of fried sausage that gives out a red-orange juice and that is amazing. Some people eat this with a baguette and turns the inside of the bread orange from the juice.

The typical Barcelona beer Moritz, to go with my tapas.

Tapa #3: Croqueta 

Ok I know what you are thinking. This looks like a piece of turd.

But I swear to you it's not. It is the complete opposite of a piece of turd. It is amazing. 

Croquetas are usually filled with cheese and Spanish ham which is what this one was. 

Manchego Cheese and Jamón Iberico Croqueta. But some have different fillings like egg, cheese, octopus, codfish etc....

Now if you haven't had a Croqueta before. GET A CROQUETA! 

And no the ones at the Cheesecake Factory do not count. Get the legit Spanish made Croqueta. It is amazing.

The moment you bite into one the cheese just melts in your mouth and the saltiness you get from the little bits of jamón just wakes your mouth up with flavor.

You will thank me later.

You're welcome.

Tapa #4: Patatas Bravas

Cut up Potatoes that are covered in a type of sauce. In this case it was a type of garlic sauce.

Some patatas bravas are usually covered in mayonnaise or ketchup or a different type of sauce.

It may sound weird, but then again, try it. They are delicious.

Tapas #5-#6 Top right-piece of baguette with some sauce and top with sausage

Bottom center- piece of baguette with tortilla de patata.

Not a Tapa but Beer #2.

In the States when you have a group of people willing to get a beer, you normally get a pitcher, ya?

Well, in Barcelona and some parts of Spain this is the pitcher.

Called a porron, you take the top handle and raise it up to your mouth just a few inches away without letting it touch your mouth and then slowly raise it up so it's like a mini-fountain.

It's pretty cool and a must when you are out at night in Spain, or at my family parties.

Idk you can decide which one is closer to you.

Tapas #7- Fried Fish.

Similar to calamari, but not really, you sprinkle lemon on these puppies and they are gone in the first 2 minutes.

Tapas #8- Cooked Green Peppers

Surprisingly not spicy, just flavorless peppers that looked wrinkled.

And thus concludes my tapas experience. Fortunately for me, I will return to these tapas in a month when I go back to Spain to visit family, but if that doesn't happen to you, go to Spain, stuff all the tapas you can in your mouth and try to sneak some in your purse/suitcase. 

Take it from me, you'll crave them when you're far away from Spain.