I’ve just spent a few days in Zaragoza to inspect the building site for Expo 2008, but with secondary intent too, namely to check on local tapas standard. That subplot seems to be an instinctive reaction the moment I set foot on Iberian soil, a harkback to seven years ago when I was researching my book New Tapas. That job entailed weeks of travelling round Spain checking out tapas-bars. Tough. Ever since, I’ve had a deep professional regard for them and their products. Zaragoza, though I’d been there once briefly, meant virgin tapas terrain for me.