QUESTION: I'm planning a party for friends, and we're going to put out a number of dishes along with a number of wines, and just have guests eat and drink what they like. Are there any ingredients that I should avoid in the food so that as many of the wines as possible will be enjoyable?

     ANSWER: A similar question was put to food-and-wine expert Karen MacNeil, and here's the list she came up with:

     * artichoke hearts

     * blue cheese

     * capers

     * habanero or other extremely hot peppers

     * horseradish

     * pickled ginger

     * very pungent red or white vinegars

     * wasabi.