“Tapas” really means lids. Many years ago, someone had the bright idea to cover their beer, or glass of wine, with a slice of bread, to keep the flies out. Later, someone decided to put some topping on the bread, to make it more interesting. Or to hide the taste of fly poop.
For more creative translations, check out my romantic comedy, Loosely Translated, where a Spanish translator meets the author of the awful detective series that she has "improved". If that sounds like your cup of tea, buy me a couple of beers - that's about how much the book costs, and you'll get that warm, fuzzy feeling of helping out an indie author. Cheers!
Loosely Translated at Amazon.com