was responsible for tapas but that was definitely menu del dia, not tapas.  The fact is – tapas exists in many countries and has been around since time immemorial.  It has different names but the concept is the same.  It is not a meal or first course to a meal.  It is a standalone snack to be eaten with a drink.

The Greeks serve meze.  In fact most of the middle east does.   The name itself originally came from the Persian for “relish or taste”.  It was never intended to be a small course of a meal.  It was designed to stand alone and enhance the flavour of the drink it is eaten with.  Whether that be ouzo, raki or wine they are all accompanied by vine leaf parcels of rice with a piquant tomato sauce, slightly salty taramousalata or garlicky tatziki.   A Greek waiter once informed me that the most popular meze amongst the local Greeks was tatziki and chips – well who wouldn’t if they could?

In Italia they call it antipasto “before the pasta”.   Again it is not meant to replace a starter but is rather a taster to get the taste buds dancing in readiness for the main acts to follow.  Scappi Bartolomeo the famous Renaissance chef who worked at the Vatican mentions it.  Likely he would have served some of the antipasto we see today such as roasted peppers, cured ham and  caponata (eggplant relish)  which all go well with grappa, Campari and wine.

India gets in on the “tapas” act with its famous street food or chaat.  Normally bought from stalls, this food consists of easy to eat bites which you can pick up and eat without the aid of cutlery.  Some of the best on offer are  samosas, pakoras and pooris.  Often served with a dollop of mint raita or tamarind chutney to cool the sometimes fiery content of meat, fish or vegetables.  Alcohol is not popular in India so you are normally offered a cup of tea or coffee with your chaat.

Izakaya,  the Japanese gathering places where your over worked Japanese banker goes for  a couple of sakes and a bite to eat on his way home to unwind before facing the wife and kids are not restaurants.  They are bars which serve small snacks, just like our tapas bars. The name itself is a combination of “i” for to sit and “sakaya” for sake shop.  They serve a selection of tofu with toppings, boiled and salted soyabean pods, chicken or meat skewers and of course raw fish slices plus some miso soup and  picked vegetables. The saki can be served warm from porcelain cups or chilled in summer from small square wooden boxes but remember your etiquette, never fill your own cup.

In Mexico Antojitos or “little whims” are served with Margaritas, beer and the nation´s best known tipple Tequila.  They offer mini versions of their most famous dishes such as burritos  and enchiladas, with chilli con queso and guacamole and sometimes black bean or tortilla soup.  In Mexican Antojitos you can see the blend of Spain with South America.  When  the Spanish set sail for new horizons and found South America they brought rice, garlic, onions and meat  with them and the locals already had an abundance of corn, chillies, tomatoes and fish.  Put the two together and you have some very tasty snack food indeed.

The Chinese offer dim sum or “heart´s delight” which originated in the teahouses.  Generally offered from carts wheeled around by the waiters with the steaming hot dim sum straight from the kitchen in little bamboo baskets, you point to what takes your fancy i.e. your heart´s delight.  We are all acquainted with the little pork and prawn dim sum offered in modern Chinese Restaurants and they are very typical of what has been served for centuries.  However, outside of China it is not often you see them accompanied by Chinese tea or wonton soup which would be the norm.

I rest my case – tapas exists the world over but you can´t beat settling in to the corner of an Andalucian  tapas bar with a fino or a glass of wine and a few of those little white plates.  I like the traditional tapas personally, tortilla filled with fluffy potato, prawns in garlic sauce, meatballs in tomato gravy and of course our finest jamon on a little plate with a bit of mature Manchego cheese and some local almonds.  So  probably  Spain cannot lay claim to having invented the concept  but we do it as well if not better than anyone else and for my money you cannot beat the tapas in Andalucia.  Well to be exact – The Costa de la Luz but then I would say that – I live here.