More jamon & vino?
It aint lookin pretty for poor ol' Nat after a night of jambon and vino in Granada. I love this pic. Sorry Nat but this is a fun reminder of our new acid theory so remember on your world travels to stick to it.

This post is for you Jil, this is what I was talking about when you go to Spain, many places have these legs of cured ham hanging over the bar and all over restaurants. The cured ham on the plate with cheese was a tapas that was given free to patrons at a tapas bar in Granada. It is a pretty good deal as you can nibble on some fantastic tapas which are made from local produce, meats and fish.

Tapas can vary from just a few nuts or a small dish of olives to almost a mini meal in itself. One of the greatest pleasures of being in Spain is to go out with your friends for tapas. It's a healthy way of drinking because as you drink you eat! Also you stay in each tapas bars for one or two drinks and then visit several others in the evening which gives variety.

In a bilingual dictionary the word "tapa" means lid, cover, top, cap, etc. Many people will tell you that the word tapa originated because the glasses of wine were physically covered by a small plate of food or a piece of food. Others say that the word "tapa" was used because it "covers" the appetite.

Types of tapas:
champiñones (mushrooms)
setas (wild mushrooms)
patatas bravas (spicy potatoes)
patatas a lo pobre (potatoes slowly fired in oil)

Tapas in taverns or bars are for people in Granada a social ritual and is called the “tapeo granadino.” Get to sunny Spain, I missed this last trip but will get there soon!