Tuck into modern tapas for an experience that’s fresh, fun and full of flavour

Small eating is becoming a big deal. No longer do we have to sit down to a three-course meal whenever we eat out. Instead, more and more restaurants are offering a menu of ‘small plates’, from which we can mix and match as we please.

Little bites of food amuse, stimulate and excite the palate. They give both the cook and the diner an opportunity to experiment with a variety of different ingredients, and there is always something to suit everyone’s taste - perfect for people who can never make up their mind!

The phenomenon of bite-size eating isn’t new. It has its roots in some of the world’s greatest cuisines. What is new, however, is that these little dishes are now becoming the main event, rather than just something to awaken the appetite before a meal. For diners, it’s a relaxed and sociable way of eating. For chefs, it’s an inspiring way to cook- and opportunity to play around with tastes, textures and flavours without being constrained by the conventions of a three-course meal.

Bite-size eating was born out of Spanish tapas, which are thought to have originated in Andalucía several hundred years ago. A piece of bread or cured meat, or some olives and nuts, was placed on a saucer on top of glasses to stop flies from getting in the drink (the word tapar means to ‘cover’). This evolved to include more elaborate dishes, such as tortilla (potato omelette), patatas bravas (fried potatoes with a spicy tomato sauce) and grilled shellfish and sausages. It’s customary in Spain to move from one bar to another sampling the different fare, which is always accompanied by a glass of wine or sherry. A similar ritual takes place in Venice, where bar snacks known as cicchetti are eaten with a glass of wine between meals. It’s a sociable ritual, where meeting up with friends and chatting about the events of the day are the priority, and little plates of food help to assuage hunger and temper the effects of alcohol.

Perhaps the Mediterranean climate encourages this kind of eating. When the sun’s beating down it’s more tempting to nibble at an assortment of little dishes than to embark on a big meal.

Find a great selection of Tapas recipes and tips in our June 2008 issue.