La Sociedad Para La Proteccion de la Tapa

WHY-OH-WHY-OH-WHY-OH-WHY-OH-WHY?

Do you want to know what really winds me up? Well, I'm going to tell you anyway. Tapas are Spanish, right? The food is Spanish, the word is Spanish. So why do people use the word to describe food which is patently NOT Spanish?

I've seen falafel, antipasto, Lincolnshire sausage, bouillabaisse, mozarella, bruschetta, all masquerading as tapas. Filled bloody potato skins! Greek, Italian, French, English - now, don't get me wrong, I'm a Yorkshireman through and through and very patriotic, but I like things to be right. You wouldn't expect to go into a Balti House and be offered sausage, egg and chips or order Dim Sum and get mushroom vol-au-vents.

The word tapa (yes, the singular is tapa) is in danger of being hijacked as a generic term for any vaguely exotic snack, regardless of its style or origin. OK, if a barman in Seville decided to combine Cumberland sausage and gorgonzola as an accompaniment to a glass of manzanilla, you would have to accept that it was a tapa, but the same doesn't apply to a cafe owner in Cleckhuddersfax.

I've been told by people producing dishes with no Iberian pedigree whatsoever, that it is just their "take" on tapas and also that a menu has been "inspired" by tapas. Look, what makes it a tapa is essentially its size; if you enlarge it to the size of a main course, it becomes a main course - un plato principale. In fact, the tapas served over here are more like raciones anyway, but we won't go there just now.

So, come on - join the campaign to support the poor beleagured tapa and help to spread the word. I'd be happy to hear of triumphs or transgressions at sppt@thetapasbar.co.uk.

Viva La Tapa Autentica!

Think of the merchandising; we could have t-shirts, hats, key rings.........................