With the falling of the leaves and the first hints of snow, my favorite foodie season rolls around. There are holiday potlucks, classy cocktail parties, white elephant exchanges, ugly sweater parties...all the amazing reasons that are great for gathering friends and family.

At these shindigs, everyone usually brings a dish to share, and now comes the big question I ask myself every time: "What dish do I bring that is sure to win over the crowd?" I want my dish to do that magical disappearing act, leaving party-goers asking for recipes left and right, without leaving the kitchen in such a disastrous state that FEMA needs to step in to help.

Well, my foodie friends,  I have, tucked under my belt, many delicious holiday staples, and while I can't share all my secrets, I can give out a few that even the pickiest eaters will enjoy. 

So for the next few posts, I'll share my "Delicious Holiday" series, starting with the infamous Goat Cheese Spread with Pomegranate, Cucumber, and Dill. Silly simple, pairs great on any carb-like carrier (i.e crackers, bread, pita, etc), and  disappears faster than coworkers on a Friday afternoon.

I'm currently working as a cheese monger at a local cheese shop, and this season we've been slammed with tons of cheese platter orders and hand-cut wedges. One of our regular customers proclaimed:

The cheese and charcuterie platter is the safety net to any dinner and cocktail party - if all the other foods burn while cooking, then you can still please the masses with tasty cheese and meat. 

Well said, sir.

I mean, the man has a point. I like to start my parties off with this dynamic duo because it requires no cooking, looks amazing, and everyone loves it. Add some bread/crackers, nuts, and dried fruit to your meat and cheese ensemble, and bam! Look how fancy and cultured you are!