Tapas touring tips

In part three of our short guide to tapas, we meet a lady who has consumed more than is possibly good for anyone. The whole process of tapas bar hopping can be a mystery to some visitors to Spain. What time is tapas time? With which drinks will you be served a tapa? Just what are the rules of tapas touring?

Who better to ask that exiled Scot, Gayle Mackie. She runs tapas tours in the city of Granada, where tapas is served free with your drinks. I asked her for her some helpful hints. So Gayle, how might bars differ in the way they serve tapas? Gayle: "Well, in Granada, you will find two ways of serving a free snack with your drink. Firstly, what you might call a rounds system. This is the usual way in which the bar will serve you a dish, as you order each round. Many bars have a set formula for this. For example, paella may always be the first dish in some bars or, perhaps, albondigas (meatballs). Every time you order a drink, you will be served a different dish.

"Alternatively, some bars have a choosing system. In these venues you can choose which dish you receive, again free, from a list of possibilities offered on a menu. In these circumstances only two varieties of tapa can be ordered per round of drinks. So, for example, should there be 7 of you touring, only two types of tapa will be served and you must choose the breakdown of how many of each. "Tapas accompany the number of drinks ordered. So if you two your party are faster drinkers, and order another drink, only two further tapas will be served. Bars will serve you tapas with beer and wine, but not usually with stronger spirits such as rum and coke. Many bars will serve tapas with a soft drink if one or more of your party are not consuming alcohol."

Q. What about where one should sit or stand in a bar and when are we supposed to pay? Gayle: ·"Sit or stand at the bar for tapas. In most cases if you sit at a table you are implying that you wish to eat a full meal. 99% of the bars in Granada require you to pay before leaving, and not after each round. This throws many people, i know, but it is a system based on trust and it has worked well for many years. When some bars are very busy, they may ask you to pay at the end of each round as they cannot keep an eye on everyone. "

Q. Timings. Visitors from the UK in particular often complain that tapas is not served early enough. Gayle: "Yes, i know. I have to get my parties of tapas tourists used to the idea that you will not get tapas as early as 12.30 in the afternoon or 7pm in the evening. Some tourist bars might give you a plate of crisps or olives, but they will not give you proper, quality food. Tapas time is generally between 1.30 and 3.30pm and again between 8pm and11.30pm."

Q. One tip from someone as experienced as yourself? Gayle: "Throw yourself into the whole tapas experience. Enjoy the authentic bars where you will be treated no differently than the locals. Cast off all your prejudices about bars that you might have from home. All ages are welcome in the bars of Spain. Join in by standing shoulder to shoulder with everyone else enjoying what is an experience unique to Spain. Tapas touring is fun. Follow the basic rules and enter into the spirit of it all."

Gayle Mackie runs www.granadatapastours.com