Lucy Waverman's secrets for success in the kitchen

Pre-dinner nibblies
Appetizers and finger foods are a mainstay of holiday entertaining, but the challenge is to come up with new ideas. Lucy Waverman's approach is to stick with what she knows but add a twist. We asked her for a few appetizer updates.

Banish boring basics
Forget pumpernickel as a base for smoked salmon. Serve the holiday standard on a potato rösti, a minipancake or a cucumber slice. Cream cheese doesn't need a cracker when mixed with garlic and chopped chives and piped into a hollowed-out cherry tomato. And hummus can go beyond the basic bowl and flat bread; try it spooned into Belgian endive spears or on store-bought sesame crisps instead.

Cheese, please
For drop-in guests, stock up on the favourite seasonal snack -- cheese. Besides selecting some you haven't tried before, add a few new accompaniments to the platter: truffle honey, a good-quality balsamic vinegar like Minus 8 Wine Vinegar (a Niagara-region product made from icewine) and fig jam make for trendy toppers. Instead of grapes and water crackers, include dried apples, homemade croûtes and spiced nuts.

Seasonal style
Frozen nibblies are a lifesaver but need not be the same time after time. Style them straight from the oven with a few garnishes. Miniquiches go from bland to grand with chopped arugula and a drizzle of olive oil. And spring rolls are high-end when partnered with a soy dipping sauce spiked with chilies and chopped scallions.

Fridge & pantry partners
Have these basics on hand and you can whip up a last-minute party platter in no time: roasted red peppers, anchovies, bread sticks, pesto, olive oil, prosciutto, olives and tapenade.

Read more in Food & Entertaining and Party Planner