Grazing tables are the latest dinner party du jour, and when better to create one of your own to share with friends and family than during Christmas?
The classic cheeseboard is synonymous with the festive period, and with a few simple yet effective tips from fine grazing caterers GRAPE & Fig, you can reinvent the conventional cheeseboard. A grazing table cheeseboard is literally our dream.
Choose your hero cheeses.
Ensure your festive platter has both taste and style by selecting cheeseboard heroes that contrast in texture and shape. That means opting for a mild and creamy semi-soft cheese alongside a hard rectangular cheese or even keeping an eye out for vibrant rinds. Perfect your placement by distributing the cheeses evenly, placing some upright and some on its side; displaying both the delicious creamy cheese centre and the eye-catching orange rind.
Use ramekins to hold antipasti and dips.
Ramp up your platter with a selection of evenly placed and flavor-filled ramekins. Loading these with a selection of dips and antipasti like artichoke hearts, pesto, and sundried tomatoes will really bring it to life. Not only will the ramekins stop any oil from the antipasti from seeping into the rest of the ingredients on your platter, they'll add a beautiful design element. Our top tip? Don't forget hummus!
Now add your crackers—the more variations, the better!
No cheesy feast is complete without crackers—all shapes and sizes are encouraged. If you're worried about your crackers collapsing on your platter and ruining the appetising aesthetic, make sure you place them between more solid elements. The display will also have a more ~finished~ feel if crackers are placed between the cheese blocks and ramekins.
Also, you can be bold with your bread; Christmas is the perfect time to branch out with exciting seasonal flavours. Why not try a delicious speciality loaf? Walnut and fig or cranberry and orange will add some festive flair.
Add some colorful touches to break up the beige.
Get colorful for Christmas with additional orange and red elements to really liven up the colors on your platter. From berries and dried apricots to orange slices and Moroccan hummus, you could even add dried orange blooms around the edges to create a real showstopper.
Create a festive feel with seasonal additions.
Elevate the festive feel of your display with the ingredients you choose. Fill spaces on your board with Christmassy treats like pretzels, nuts, berries, dried and fresh fruits. If you're including cured meats, ensure you add them last and get them straight out the fridge so they're extra fresh. Our top tip? Keep your ingredients grouped together. This way, you avoid your display looking messy!
Get decadent—it is Christmas!
If you're feeling particularly extra, fresh honeycomb is the ultimate indulgence to upgrade your display.
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This article originally appeared on Cosmopolitan.com/uk. Minor edits have been made by the Cosmo.ph editors.
