BITES TO CHILL FOR

The secret to the easiest holiday party spread

- MELISSA CLARK

Am I allowed to throw a party in my pyjamas? That's my fantasy every year when the holiday season rolls around. Not my plaid flannels. I picture myself clad in thick silk, the kind of thing I’m sure Katharine Hepburn wore — comfortable, elegant and well-matched to a dry martini.

And what kind of food goes with this vision? Easy snacks and nibbles that are comfortable, elegant and, yes, perfectly matched to a cocktail, martini or otherwise. Dishes that you can set out at the beginning of the night and then not fuss over — so you can do the important party work of chatting, sipping and noshing.