Talk:Spanish/Lessons/¿Qué comes?

Gastronomia
Meals have caused me some problems because there are many different hispanohablante traditions and they can be either nouns or verbs depending if one is doing or taking! Here is my best guess!

el desayuno / dessayunar : as in English: to break ones fast, so breakfast be anything up to  about 10 or 11 am (in the summer vacation, children tend to sleep-in till mid morning) for example, toast and milk or coffee
 * Un ejemplo de desayuno : vaso de leche o café y tostadas Café can be con leche (au lait or latte), either full measure froth nube  or with a dash of milk manchada  half-measure or corto/cortado or solo which is strong espresso. This last can be poured (by the customer) over ice cubes when it becomes Café con Hielo - just to add subtlety, the actual coffee used  may be just roasted natural or sugar-roast  torrefacto expresso  or some mescla of the two.

el almeuerzo / almorzar : Roughly translated as 'a bite to eat' In Spain, second breakfast, morning snack, (often a plastic box or un tupper for school children) but might also be an early or light lunch, for example a small sandwich or filled bread roll, with a sweet bun and/or some fruit
 * un pequeño emparedado o bocadillo con un bollo y/o alguna pieza de fruta

comer: 'Implies time to eat' and means the main meal of the day in Spain. It is late - any-time from about 1pm to 4pm Usually a substantial three course meal in restaurants - choose from the set or special offer menú or more expensive 'al la carte' from the carta. In Spain, these are distinct options, and once inside you may have to ask explicitly for el papelito del menú which itemizes el menú del día posted outside!

La merienda / merendar: from Latin for something merited after work - which became afternoon tea, with  some biscuits  or a small cake
 * una infusión con unas galletas o un trozo de bizcocho (which is also known in spain as cake and is that type of vanilla sponge, not biscuit! Infusión can be any sort of black, green or white té or some herbal drink)

La cena /cenar: curiously, this originally meant to take the main meal of the day, which in Roman times was early in the day! The same is true of the English word 'dinner' (in Britain, still lunch at school, but a main evening meal in restaurants) so in Spain: La cena is now an evening supper, typically a selection of  sliced meat to share or a noodle dish or sometimes a slice of Spanish potato omlette with side-salad
 * entre mesa como tabla de fiambres o un plato de pasta con salsa, tal vez un pincho de tortilla

La Tapa /tapita means the table-top or small bar-snack served with a alcoholic drink. Can be anything from a few olives (acetunas) to a canapé on toast montada. Tapas are served at no charge in Madrid allegedly because The Wise King (Alfonso El sabio) in the 13th century wanted his soldiers sober, and forbade the sale of booze without food.

Does anyone know better, maybe? Timpo (discuss • contribs) 15:26, 3 December 2012 (UTC)