Tapas is the collective name for small, delicious mouthfuls of something savory, served with a chilled white wine, beer or sherry.  It comes from tapa, the Spanish word for lid – specifically, the “lid” created by the slice of bread that an innkeeper would thoughtfully place on top of a customer’s wine glass to keep out the flies and dust between sips.  The Andalucians then came up with the idea of balancing a morsel of something tasty on top of the bread to nibble on – a few cubes of cheese or ham – and a new Spanish institution was born.  Today, tapas are served in almost every bar throughout Spain . Usually they are displayed on the bar, and the waiter puts your selection on a plate, for eating either standing up or seated at the bar or at a table.