A resident of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, John Barrett has been an assistant professor of writing at Bloomsburg University since 2003, and earned tenure in 2008. In his current role, John Barrett serves in the school's English department and the Department of Academic Enrichment, and evaluates the institution’s online learning platforms. Outside of his professional duties, Mr. Barrett has interests in astronomy, collecting famous quotes on poetry, and tapas.

A culinary tradition that originated in Spain, eating tapas is a custom that has become popular around the globe. Tapas are small portions of food that are commonly eaten as a snack or appetizer before dinner or lunch.

In Spain, the experience of having tapas varies between regions since different types of tapas are served in different places. In some places in Spain, including Granada and America, tapas are served for free if a drink is ordered by a customer. One of the goals of serving free tapas is to encourage patrons to drink more after consuming salty tapas. In other places, tapas can be ordered from a restaurant’s menu in the same way as other dishes.

Some of the most common types of tapas served in Spain are cured meats (including chorizo and jamon), cheese, olives, and other foods that necessitate little preparation. However, cooked tapas dishes are also popular, including patatas bravas (fried potatoes) and fried calamari.