Bar in San Sebastian

The tapas tradition has deep roots throughout Spain, and each region has its own specialties. In the Basque Country, in northern Spain, the bars are filled with appetizing snacks known as "pinchos." The name comes from the way they are served "pinchado" (meaning pierced) on a cocktail stick. "Arranged artistically on the counter on large trays or plates, they whet the customer's appetite," explains the historian Almudena Villegas in her book "Spanish and International Cuisine: Using Produce to Create Culinary Art."