Comments on: Why Spain is Great #2 – The Desire To Share

By: Lime

Lime — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 21:31:36 +0000

My Latin teacher said once that Spanish table customs reflect even in vocabulary: Spanish verb “comer”, unlike other romanic languages like French (“manger”) or Italian (“mangiare”) comes from the expression cum + edere, which means “eat whith (somebody)”. I found that quite interesting, as eating alone (modern life changes apart) is seen quite pitiful and strange. So many cultures eat, but only Spaniards “comen”.

PS: Sorry for my mistakes in English, it isn’t my first language.

By: Espanglish

Espanglish — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:36:46 +0000

I love the Spanish custom of “invitar.” It is clear up front who is footing the bill for the night and I don’t find it one bit of “upsmanship.” I think that it is a kind and gracious manner to invite friends to dine with you.

I do remember eating with our friends, a Spanish couple, in El Puerto and the whole thing dissolving into she and I having a silly argument that went “que si” “que no” “que si” until she finally said “Look, when we made the plans to go out, I clearly said ‘we invite you to eat with us tonight.’” The matter (apparently) was settled before we ever went out and I just didn’t know it.

By: Ben

Ben — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:54:43 +0000

@Richard and Bill – Marina and friends have always called it a Bote, but there’s no reason why both shouldn’t be right!

By: Bill (Legazpi)

Bill (Legazpi) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 18:28:29 +0000

@Richard – thanks – I had it in my head that it was called a “bote” (jar) but I expect I just misheard it

By: Richardksa

Richardksa — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 14:54:38 +0000

@BrianA y @Bill: Among my Spanish friends, and I assume everywhere in Spain, the “kitty” is called a “”Bota”. A Boot.
When escorting a group of non spanish around Madrid, which I do often, I make a point of casually introducing the subject of bill sharing very early on. Then they know the rules!!!

By: Gabriel

Gabriel — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 20:43:45 +0000

Visiting my relatives back in Galicia, I learned not to take the last piece of food on a plate (not that unusual a concept in the United States either, btw) because that was “la verguenza del gallego.” Galicians, it was said, were too humble to take the last morsel.

So I found the saying from Asturias (“Yo, el gallego.”) contradictory to my own experience. I’m guessing it’s the result of friendly rivalry among neighbors.

By: doors and windows

doors and windows — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 07:26:20 +0000

It’s certainly different to Scotland, where we invented copper wire by fighting over a penny.

By: Mo

Mo — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:11:28 +0000

I´ve never experienced any oneupmanship of this kind. I just find Spaniards incredibly generous and relaxed concerning food and drink, as Ben says.

By: gary

gary — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:27:54 +0000

Where the honour system does apply in England (in the north at any rate) is when a group of blokes go out together on a regular basis. Say there are five of them and they have six drinks in a round – someone will pay twice in a night. Like paribins example – the lads will make sure that the same bloke doesnt catch the bad end of the round every week, nothing is agreed – it just happens.

By: gary

gary — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:16:44 +0000

I love the sharing – what never ceases to amaze me is where the time goes when you share raciones the spanish way. You sit down to share a few platters at nine and before you know it they’re sweeping up round you and its way after one!!