I prepared a three-course meal consisting of Olla Gitana, Patatas Bravas and Crema de Chocolate. Olla Gitana, in English, is also known as gypsy pot. Olla is a thin legume stew, also called potaje. In Spain it is usually served as a main course for lunch. The stew is inspired by the plant-based cuisine of the Spanish regions of Murcia and Alicante. The stew is called gypsy because its ingredients are, for lack of a better word, anarchic (Bremzen). This dish is served as an appetizer. The side dish was patatas bravas. Patatas bravas are a typical tapas dish served in Spain. Theories surround the exact creation of tapas in Spain. The Spanish speculate that tapas was an invention of King Alfonso X, who drank wine with small portions of food between meals. However, the common belief remains that tapas originated with farmers snacking, so to speak, during a long gap between breakfast and lunch (Panero). In Spain, contrary to foreign thinking, tapas should be a light pre-meal filler, which would explain why many tapas are made up of cured meats, cheeses and assortments of pickled vegetables (Panero). Contrary to their traditional function, many tapas bars abroad serve tapas to constitute a meal in succession of small dishes. Patatas bravas, a popular tapa in inland Spain, are fried potato wedges coated in a combination of pimentón salt, spicy marinara sauce, and ailoli. Ailoli is made of olive oil, slowly blended into a creamy paste of garlic and salt. Alioli is often compared to garlic mayonnaise, except the traditional version of alioli contains no eggs. The Catalonia region of Spain claims credit for the alioli sauce. In Spain, alioli goes with any dish, including meat, fish, vegetables... middle of paper... as we ate a tasty meal together. Works Cited Bremzen, Anya Von, and Susan Goldman. The new Spanish table. New York: Workman Pub., 2005. Print. Panero, Javier. “Tapas: The Essential Guide to Bar Food in Spain.” Lonely planet. Np, June 6, 2013. Web. May 11, 2014. "Pimentón De La Vera." Designation De Origen Protegida. Np, nd Web. May 11, 2014. Said, Olivier, James Mellgren, and Maggie Pond. César: recipes from a tapas bar. Berkeley: Ten Speed, 2003. Print.Sierra, Lisa and Tony Sierra. "The history of chocolate in Spain." Spanish food. About.com and Web. May 11th 2014. .