Tapas are small plates of food that originated in Spain and are typically served as appetizers or snacks alongside beer or wine. They can be cold, such as mixed olives and cheese, or hot, such as chopitos, which are battered, fried baby squid, or patatas bravas. Tapas can be combined to make a full meal, and they are a great way to sample a range of dishes without over-ordering and/or spending a lot. They are also a key part of eating and socializing in Spain, and they come in many different forms and can vary greatly throughout the country. The word "tapas" is derived from the Spanish verb "tapar," which means "to cover," and in pre-19th-century Spain, tapas were served by inns to offer their guests a sample of the dishes available, on a "tapa" (the word for pot cover in Spanish) .