You can order many kinds of tapas and turn it into a complete meal in some restaurants and bars in Spain. The reason for serving tapas is to encourage conversations or socializing. It is served before a meal to increase a person’s appetite for the rest of the meal or served before or in between courses so that you will not become too hungry while waiting for the food. It is also customary for some diners to move about and socialize while eating tapas. 

 

The history of tapas is not well known and according to the book "The Joy of Cooking", the original tapas were made of slices of bread or meat that Andalusian taverns serve with sherry. Its main purpose is to cover the glasses between sips to prevent flies from getting close to the sherry. The meat that was used to cover the sherry is usually ham or chorizos which are both very salty and make you feel thirsty more. Restaurant and bar owners became creative with their tapas and made a lot of variations to it and this eventually led to an increase in saled of alcohol. 

 

Tapas have continuously evolved throughout history and the introduction of different ingredients and influences from other cultures has turned the tapas into one of Spain’s best contribution to the culinary world. Spanish tapas can be made of a variety of ingredients such as tomatoes, cheeses, fish like anchovies, and olives. Some countries have even adapted the tapas into their own cuisine and made it their own by adding ingredients that are native to their country. Tapas are also a very versatile and sophisticated way to present appetizers that look good and taste just as good. 

 

If you are planning to make tapas for your banquet or gatherings, a good sausage that you can serve with pride to your guests is the Salchichon Iberico de Bellota de Herradura. It is a sausage that is made from the lean meat of fine Iberian pigs. You can combine it with any vegetable of your choice or place on top of a flat bread. When laid out on a table like in a buffet service, tapas look beautiful. It can also be placed on each guests tables as a way to welcome them to your banquet.