Food - Drink

What's The Difference Between Tapas And Pintxos?

By HOPE NGO

There’s an almost endless variety of bar snacks, and in the United States alone you can choose from nuts and popcorn to mozzarella sticks, chicken wings, and French fries. However, in Spain, you’re likely to encounter either tapas or pintxos, and while both are small bites meant to be shared, there’s an important cultural distinction between the two.

While there’s no consensus on who first came up with tapas, it is known that early tapas were edible, savory coverings for wine glasses that tended to attract flies. Today there is a range of tapas, but in general, they can be grouped into three categories: cosas de picar, small finger foods; cazuelas, bite-sized portions of dishes; and pinchos, which require a toothpick or fork.

It’s tempting to think of pintxos as a type of tapas, but while tapas are smaller servings of regular dishes, pintxos are not based on a larger dish. Pintxos, or pinchos, are finger foods served on small slices of bread and eaten with a toothpick. The first pintxo was invented in 1946 and had olive, pepper, and anchovy, but today, they can be made with almost anything.

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