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Spanish tortilla crowned best tapa according to locals and foreigners

The Local Spain
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Spanish tortilla crowned best tapa according to locals and foreigners
The classic 'tortilla de patata' came out on top among Spaniards and foreigners. Photo: blackieshoot/Unsplash.

A new study has revealed that Spaniards and foreigners alike agree that the classic 'tortilla de patatas' is the best of all Spanish tapas. Do you agree?

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The Spanish tortilla has been voted as the best tapa by both locals and foreigners in a new study.

According to figures from the 'Social importance of the tapa' study, a report prepared by Saborea España for World Tapas Day, 82.5 percent of Spaniards believe tapas represents the best of Spanish cuisine, and most consider tortilla de patatas (usually referred to as a potato omelette or simply 'Spanish omelette' in English) to be the best tapa on offer.

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This was followed by croquettes, ensaladilla and patatas bravas. Among foreigners, tortilla also topped the list, followed by jamón, another classic of Spanish cuisine.

 

Susi Díaz, president of Saborea España, said at the study's launch that "the tapa is the ultimate representative of our gastronomy, which highlights the diversity and richness of our territory."

"Tapas are present all over the country, from Granada, which is a reference point, to the famous Calle Laurel in Logroño, to the pintxos of San Sebastian and the famous tapas of Valladolid," Diaz said, adding that tapas is "a symbol of our gastronomy and our way of relating to each other".

READ ALSO: A gourmet guide to ordering pintxos in Spain's Basque Country

Around three quarters of respondents (76.4 percent) said they go for classic tapas dishes when ordering, and 94 percent said they take advantage of Spain's huge regional and gastronomical variety and vary their tapas order depending on where in the country they are.

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For most in Spain ordering a tapa without an accompanying drink would be unthinkable, and the study found that for 71.2 percent of Spaniards beer was the most popular choice. Non-alcoholic beer (usually referred to as una sin in Spanish) was the choice of 12 percent, and wine 22 percent, with white wine slightly edging it over red (11.3 percent vs 10.7 percent).

Beer was also most popular among foreigners (51.2 percent), followed by wine (40.6 percent).

Though the study also found that many bar owners and restaurateurs feel sharing tapas has become more popular in recent years, possibly a reflection of rising prices, 62 percent of Spaniards nonetheless said that they eat tapas more than three times a month.

The most frequent tapas eaters were found to be between 31 and 45 years of age, followed by those between 46 and 60 years of age.

Almost half of those polled said they spend an average of €10-€20 on tapas per outing, with the average consumption being between 3 and 5 tapas dishes.

READ ALSO: Ten reasons your homemade Spanish tortilla went wrong

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Anna Graham 2024/06/17 18:31
¡Tortilla de patatas tiene que llevar cebolla también!

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