A few well-chosen offerings keep these party trays simple—an elegant presentation makes them special.
Dixie Party Tray
Homemade Bites: Brined Pecans, Toast Points
Grocery Pickups: Country ham and peach preserves
Wine Pairing: Beachaven Brut, Tennessee (beachavenwinery.com) or Domaine Chandon Brut Classic, California
Brined Pecans
Add flair to pecan halves with this fragrant sugary, salty coating.
- Recipe: Brined Pecans
Toast Points
In 15 minutes, you can turn basic white bread into crisp, flavorful triangles. They pair perfectly with cheese, ham, and fruit preserves.
- Recipe: Toast Points
Creole Party Tray
The Perfect Cheese: Louisiana’s Bittersweet Plantation Dairy Kashkaval Bulgarian-style Yellow Cheese (jfolse.com/bittersweet_dairy/). (You may substitute Gouda.)
Homemade Bites: Smoked Paprika-Glazed Andouille, Frenchie Flats
Grocery Pickups: Sweet Cajun trail mix and pickled okra. (We tested with Archer Farms trail mix from Target.)
Wine Pairing: Pontchartrain Vineyards Louis D’Or, Louisiana (pontchartrainvineyards.com) or Foxglove Zinfandel, California
Smoked Paprika-Glazed Andouille
Garlic, paprika, and thyme add a zesty coating to this flavroful sausage. Serve with toothpicks.
- Recipe: Smoked Paprika-Glazed Andouille
Frenchie Flats
Sprinkled with Creole seasoning, these crispy bread strips taste great with cheese, with wine, or by themselves.
- Recipe: Frenchie Flats
Blue Ridge Party Tray
Homemade Bites: Sweet Potato Chips, a nod to North Carolina’s cash crop
Grocery Pickups: Golden Delicious apples (the state fruit of West Virginia) and glazed walnuts. (We tested with Emerald Original Glazed Walnuts.)
Wine Pairing: RayLen Vineyards Cabernet Franc, North Carolina (raylenvineyards.com) or Eberle Estate Muscat Canelli, California
Sweet Potato Chips
The secret to crisp sweet potato chips is to fry them in small batches, in peanut oil, at a low temperature. This makes 6 servings when served as a side but will be plenty for 10 with the other foods on the tray.
Recipe: Sweet Potato Chips
