Gambas al Ajillo / Spanish Garlic Shrimps (GF)

GAMBAS AL AJILLO / SPANISH GARLIC SHRIMP (GF)

Allergen information: contains crustaceans

Portion per tapa served: 200gr

 Tapas Origin/History:

According to legend, the tapas tradition began when king Alfonso X of Castile recovered from an illness by drinking wine with small dishes between meals. After regaining his health, the king ordered that taverns would not be allowed to serve wine to customers unless it was accompanied by a small snack or “tapa.”

The Joy of Cooking notes an alternate origin: the original tapas were the slices of bread or meat which sherry drinkers in Andalusian taverns used to cover their glasses between sips. This was a practical measure meant to prevent fruit flies from hovering over the sweet sherry.

The meat used to cover the sherry was normally ham or chorizo, which are both very salty and activate thirst. As a result of this, bartenders and restaurant owners began creating a variety of snacks to serve with sherry, thus increasing their alcohol sales. The tapas eventually became as important as the sherry.