Tapas

An Early Evening Tapeo

What's more fun than a pub-crawl in London or Dublin? In Madrid, it's a tapeo, and you can drink just as much or more than in those far northern climes. One of the unique pleasures of Madrid, a tapeo is the act of strolling from one bar to another to stay amused and fed before the fashionable Madrileño dining hour of 10pm.

Most of the world knows that tapas are Spain's delectable appetizers, and restaurants around the world now serve them. In Madrid, they're served almost everywhere, in tabernas, tascas, bars, and cafes.

Although Madrid took to tapas with a passion, they may have originated in Andalusia, especially around Jerez de la Frontera, where they were traditionally served to accompany the sherry produced there. The first tapa (which means a cover or lid) was probably chorizo (a spicy sausage) or a slice of cured ham perched over the mouth of a glass to keep the flies out. Later, the government mandated bars to serve a "little something" in the way of food with each drink to dissipate the effects of the alcohol. This was important when drinking a fortified wine like sherry, as its alcohol content is more than 15% higher than that of normal table wines. Eating a selection of tapas as you drink will help preserve your sobriety.

Tapas can be relatively simple: toasted almonds; slices of ham, cheese, or sausage; potato omelets; or the ubiquitous olives. They can be more elaborate too: a succulent veal roll; herb-flavored snails; gambas (shrimp); a saucer of peppery pulpo (octopus); stuffed peppers; anguila (eel); cangrejo (crabmeat salad); merluza (hake) salad; and even criadillas (bull testicles).

Each bar in Madrid gains a reputation for its rendition of certain favorite foods. One bar, for example, specializes in very garlicky grilled mushrooms, usually accompanied by pitchers of sangria. Another will specialize in gambas. Most chefs are men in Madrid, but at tapas bars or tascas, the cooks are most often women -- often the owner's wife.

There are literally hundreds, many of which you'll discover on your own during your strolls around Madrid.