Party Time (Fried goat cheese, charcuterie)

Just because the "Holiday season" is winding down doesn't mean we need to hold fewer parties. I spent the past week planning two for work and more with friends and family, but I don't want to stop. It's all a matter of pacing yourself, and sometimes moderating one's ambitions. Some dishes may be impressive in the demonstrable effort required, but you can still take the easy way out and, with a little attention to detail, still come off with something that looks stunning. Fried goat cheese is insanely delicious and may seem like it takes a lot of work, but it's really quite easy and, gussied up with a few other ingredients, becomes a wondrous display of variety.

Wondrous charcuterie

Sweet Sangria (Sparkling Cherry Sangria)

Having recently opined on the sublime delight of tapas, I feel I'm now required to share a couple more recipes to help round one's dinner out. To start, the ideal accompaniment to tapas: sangria. Named for the sanguinary shade typically imparted by red wine, this traditional fruit punch is a classic libation of the Iberian summer. By combining a variety of sweet and tart notes, it serves as a pleasing counterpart to the generally savory and salty array of tapas.

Sweet

Tortilla Tapas (Spanish Tortilla)

One tradition dearly celebrated between our friends is the ritual of "victory tapas," where we kick back and commemorate recent successes with panoply of bite-sized Spanish delicacies. Too often, people seem to think I mean celebrating "victory topless," possibly because Williamsport doesn't have a tapas restaurant of its own. The word tapas comes from the Spanish tapar, meaning "to cover," as the original tapa is a little canapé of bread and chorizo, acting as a fly-deterring lid atop a glass of sherry. Tapas have evolved from those humble origins into a delicious array of snacks meant to be served with drinks and enjoyed casually over the course of the evening. As such, it's no surprise that we're sometimes tempted to declare "victory tapas" over victories as simple as getting up in the morning.

Victorious