Blog

Those who enjoy the Spanish food tradition that is tapas will be treated to the best the island of Fuerteventura can offer thanks to a competition sponsored by the local tourist board. The exact origin of the tradition and the reasons why it has remained popular are varied. One theory is that an ancient law prohibited people from just drinking in taverns without eating anything, so the availability of small meals was a workaround to allow people to drink alcohol freely.

Another reason cited for the continued popularity is the current Spanish tradition to eat their evening meals very late. Anyone who has visited Spain and ventured out for a meal in a restaurant will vouch for the fact that many venues remain very quiet during the early part of the evening. You could even be forgiven for thinking that the Spanish people don't like to eat out. But remain around long enough, often beyond 10pm, and the places start to fill up. In order for people to stave off their hunger until the arrival of the main evening meal, the convenience of the small tapas dishes are a perfect option.

The competition will be organised in Fuerteventura for the fifth time this year and around 30 restaurants have agreed to take part in the promotion. This will include the production of a guidebook and a set of meals and prices that will remain in place throughout the 2010 season. The restaurants will submit menus in different categories, for which the judges will award prizes for the top 3 venues. Most of the bars, cafes and restaurants taking part are in the capital, Puerto del Rosario.