Fruit and Cheese Board

Need a show stopping party platter? This snack board is really beautiful and super easy (and cheap) to assemble. It is a great idea for group snacking and you can make such a variety of food on it that every type of eater in the clan will find something to nibble on.

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This is a Classic Fruit and Cheese Board but you can gussy it up a bit and add some homemade dips like Hummus, Roasted Red Pepper Dip (a personal fav for the holidays) or White Bean and Horseradish Hummus. Choose a variety of cheese but don’t overwhelm people with choice. One from each type is plenty. Plan on 3-4 oz per person. Cut them up into bite size pieces; you don’t want your beautiful cheese board to look massacred after just a few guests visit it. Add some meats, toss on fruit, both dried and fresh (cut the grapes into manageable bunches). Don’t forget the nuts, ultimate marinated olives, quick pickled vegetables some gherkins and don’t forget to add some fancy condiments like spicy jam or chutney and gourmet mustard. . Display the condiments in beautiful containers of varying heights. Think martini glasses of different sizes. Cover the board with Greens, Greens, Greens to make it beautiful. Display some crusty French bread slices and a variety of crackers (don’t forget some gluten free options).  Have some fun tongs, knives and cute labels to complete your masterpiece and make it easy for your guests to know what they are eating.

Here is a handy list of Ingredients for a classic Cheese Board:

CHEESE: Choose one from each category:

• Aged: Aged Cheddars, Comte, Gouda.
• Soft: Brie, Camembert, Delice de Bourgogne is my current favorite cheese to add. It is a triple cream soft cheese that is amazingly creamy.
• Firm: Manchego, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Iberico.
• Blue: Gorgonzola, Stilton, Flavored Bleu.

MEATS: Choose nitrate free all natural meats

• Salami
• Turkey or Chicken Sausages
• Prosciutto

FRUIT/NUTS/NIBBLES: Use a combination of fresh and dried fruit, nuts and vegetables

• Dried Cranberries, Apricots, Dates (try stuffing a few with bleu cheese)
• Marcona Almonds
• Fresh Grapes
• Olives
• Pickled Vegetables, Gherkins
• Pretty Colored Radishes or Baby Vegetables

SAUCES: Choose a variety of mustards, chutneys and jams

• Flavored Mustard
• Spicy Jams
• Chutneys

ASSEMBLE & MAKE IT REAL PRETTY

• Cool Serving Tongs and Cheese Knives
• Serving Picks
• Bread and Crackers: Include some gluten free options
• Greens: Eucalyptus, Holiday Greens, Fresh Rosemary, Fresh Sage Leaves