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Nearly every Spanish child learns to eat tapas almost as soon as he has been weaned, and it’s normally the beginning of a lifelong habit. A daily event, it’s as common as green tea to the Thais or vodka to the Russians. Some say the culture of the tapa is so ingrained in the psyche of the average Spaniard that going without could limit his ability to function. A deliciously indulgent custom, it’s a justification for some of the better things in life - if you’re feeling peckish but it’s not yet time to dine, at the very least you can bring out the olives and pour a small glass of something.

King Alfonso X, known as ‘the wise one’, didn’t get his name for nothing when he insisted that wine should never be drunk without an accompanying nibble. On a trip to Cadiz in the dark days of the 13th century he was tippling on a sherry when a gust of wind whipped up the sand from the shoreline nearby. An ingenious waiter, in his haste to protect the king’s golden liquor, grabbed the nearest suitable material to cover the glass. It happened to be a strip of jamon serrano, and so the first ‘tapa’, meaning ‘lid’ or ‘cover’, was born. This is just one version of the numerous stories of where the tradition originates; whatever the truth, the tapa has been around for more than a few hundred years, surviving the invasion of the Moors and the advance of the fast food troops of today. It has more than held its own, spreading far and wide since its early days in Andalucia. From Hong Kong to Buenos Aires the weary traveller looking for a little European comfort has a pretty good chance of sniffing out a tapas bar on some hidden little side street.

A ritual of many names, it’s known as alifara in Aragón and poteo in the Basque Country. The strictest of traditions would have it as a partner only to wine, but beer is also acceptable these days. A true tapas connoisseur will normally stick with one or the other on an evening out, and the rules of etiquette, for those who follow them to the law, stipulate that when ordering a round for a group you should order either wine or beer but never the two. Thankfully the rules are not so vigorously applied these days, so if your preferred tipple is a cervecita (beer) and your partner in crime craves a vino tinto(red wine), you can now both have your way. If you want to do it right, you should always remain on your feet when tapeando – tables and seats are for foreigners and lightweights. If you really need something to lean on, the bar is usually an acceptable choice.

Tapas come in all shapes and sizes – el pincho is the term used normally for a single morsel held in the hand, occasionally on a stick or sometimes between bread. Una racion is a plate served to a group of people with numerous portions of one type of tapa. The way in which you order and pay for tapas can be a tricky event, as it varies from one region to another. In Madrid you order them at the bar counter when you order your drink. In parts of Andalucia they are automatically served with each drink and are almost never charged for. In Granada this is a rule as hard and fast as any – a Granadino would be outraged not to get a free tapa with his beer and any bar daring to defy the tapa rule would almost certainly die a quick death. In other parts of Andalucia tapas must be ordered and paid for – in Cadiz and Malaga, where pescaitos fritos (small fried fish) are the local speciality, bars normally charge for their fare. And up north in places like San Sebastian, famed for its pimientos rellenos (stuffed peppers), you help yourself to pinchos and pay for them later – apparently the people from northern Spain are scrupulously honest about their intake.

With such a medley of rules and regulations surrounding the tapa, the only good advice for those going from one region to another is to watch what everyone else in the bar is doing. And, of course, you should never assume - working out the tapas norms can be a perilous experience.

All Spaniards take their tapas seriously, with the Andalucians taking them more seriously than most. Barcelona has in general gone up market on what it serves, while in Malaga, at the heart of Andalucia, they still keep things relatively simple. But even there expectations have risen in line with the sophistication of European food and the proliferation of fusion cuisine. While it used to be enough to push a well-matured piece of manchego cheese (strictly defined as more than seven months old) over the counter at a customer, presentation has gone a notch upwards. What you get depends on the region and the tone of the venue. In the more basic of bars, where at least the old men, if not everyone, still stand at the counter, you could be offered anything from a couple of stuffed aceitunas (olives) to a small dish of anchovies. But if you head for the more chic surrounds of Barcelona’s El Born, you might get a radish seared in white chocolate sauce replete with asparagus tips and caramelized onion. The better venues are rigorous in never underestimating the importance of a good olive oil, and nowhere is it more crucial than when preparing a tapa.

On the east coast small fish are served in every imaginable way - fried, grilled, barbequed – salted sardines barbequed on spits are a favourite of the Malaguenos. As a nation the Spanish have an eco-friendly attitude to their consumption of fish, and there is so much interest in preserving natural supplies that a recent television campaign told the consumer never to eat a sardine shorter than the length of a five euro note.

In areas inland, you’ll find more meat on the menu. There is some real pleasure to be discovered in a pincho of chorizo (pork sausage flavoured with paprika), morcilla (similar to black pudding), jamon serrano (cured ham) or albondigas (spiced meatballs inspired by the Moors).

A few last words of advice before setting out on the tasting trail. Notwithstanding the presently relaxed rules of tapa etiquette - you won’t be lynched for deviating from the norm - the one thing that a tapas host (the leader of the outing or the cook) must never do is to cross over into the sweet zone. Tapas are always to be savoury. The other cardinal sin would be to treat the tapa like a fast food of the American convenience variety – the art and the purpose of the tapa is to engender conversation and companionship. If there is an ideal number to tapear it’s between three and six, any less is no fun and any more is unwieldy. Don’t have more than two rounds in one bar, that’s just getting complacent and you’ll lose the run of it – and part of the experience is to discuss in minute detail the pros and cons of the different bars you visit. Topics of conversation should be light and entertaining – jokes and anecdotes are in, the conflict in Iraq is not. Strictly speaking, you should tapear between 8 and 10 in the evening before a light supper, or between 2 and 3 during the day before your main meal. Of course, if you have enough venues to cover you can always just keep going and skip the main event.