Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
Cheeses (choose 3 or more):
- Soft and creamy: Brie, Camembert, goat cheese, Port Salut or burrata
- Firm: Cheddar, Gouda, Manchego, Gruyere or Parmesan
- Bold: Blue cheese, Roquefort, Stilton or aged Gouda
Cured meats (choose 2 or 3):
- Prosciutto, salami, soppressata or capicola
Fresh and Dried Fruit (choose 2 or 3):
- Apples, pears, grapes, fresh figs, pomegranate arils, dried apricots, figs or cranberries
Crackers and Bread (choose 2 or 3):
- Water crackers, seeded crisps, breadsticks, flatbread crackers or sliced baguette
Extras (choose a few):
- Olives, cornichons, almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, fig jam, preserves, honey or whole-grain mustard
Instructions
- Start with the largest items. Place any small bowls of jam, mustard, olives or other condiments on a large serving board or platter, followed by the cheeses. Space them around the board so they act as anchors for everything else.
- Add the meats. Fold or loosely pile the cured meats around the cheeses so they’re easy to grab.
- Add the fruit. Arrange larger fresh fruit, such as clusters of grapes, followed by sliced apples, pears and other seasonal fruit.
- Add the crackers and bread. Tuck two or three varieties into the open spaces around the board.
- Fill in the gaps. Finish with smaller extras like nuts and dried fruit, scattering them anywhere the board needs a little filling in. Serve.
Notes
- How much to buy: For an appetizer board, plan on about 2 to 3 ounces each of meat and cheese per person (plan on a bit more if this is the main event!). Adjust the amount of fruit, crackers and extras based on your crowd.
- Make-ahead: Prep the meats and cheeses up to a day in advance and store them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. A few hours before serving, arrange the refrigerated ingredients on the board, cover tightly and refrigerate. Add crackers, bread and anything that could get soggy just before serving.
- Apples and pears: Slice them just before serving or use my tips for keeping apples from browning if you want to prep them ahead.
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