Cocktail party season is almost in full swing as the holidays approach. We gathered the top cocktail-party foods suggested by specialty food retailers across the country. From fancy cured meats and imported cheeses to local homemade specialties, these foods will have your guests asking for more.

They also have some tips on menu choices. (1) Create big antipasti trays. Not only do they feed a lot of guests, but they're fun to create and versatile. Fill yours with nuts, thinly sliced prosciutto and cheeses, such as French double cremes. (2) Serve snacks that complement cocktails. Stuffed olives work well in a martini and make delicious appetizers.

Once you figure out your game plan, check out these items to make your cocktail spread memorable:

Southern Season, Chapel Hill, NC

• Stonewall Kitchen Roasted Garlic and Onion Jam
• Carolina Cupboard Cheese Straws
• Wind & Willow Cheeseballs

Provisions, Port Townsend, WA

• Salumi Mole Sausage
• La Panzanella Croccantini
• Provisions Chipotle Lime Dip
• Provisions Chocolate Brandy Pots

Chestnut Hill Cheese Shop, Philadelphia, PA

• Fromage d'Affinois
• Prosciutto di San Daniele
• Dalmatia Fig Spread
• Les Trois Petits Cochons Mousse Truffee

The Spanish Table, Berkeley, CA

• Anchovy, Lemon and Piquillo pepper stuffed olives
• Palacios Chorizo
• Marcona almonds
• Manchego cheese

Holbrook Cottage, Briarcliff, NY

• Sable & Rosenfeld Savory Party Cups, filled with chevre and topped with Earth & Vine Red Bell Pepper & Ancho Chili Jam
• Urban Accents Karaoke Mix (right)
• William Poll Potato Thins
• Cool Beans Roasted Garlic Dip (top left)
• Robert Rothschild Dirty Martini Cheese Ball.—Nicole Denis and Denise Shoukas