Holiday Hosting: Creating a Beautiful Cheese Platter

There might not be a more lovely way to serve guests than with a treat-laden platter, and thankfully, it is also possibly the easiest holiday “recipe” you can make!  Making a beautiful cheese platter is the perfect low-stress way to welcome guests this holiday. 

A great platter might be known by many names, but they’re all strikingly similar:

• antipasti (the plural form of “antipasto,” which loosely means “before the meal”)
• a charcuterie plate (which means “cooked meat” and is usually a variety of cooked and cured meats, often with olives, pickles, cheeses, vegetables)
• a cheese board, platter or plate (often a variety of milks and methods of cheeses complemented with fruits, meats, and crackers or bread)

Whatever you call it, creating a warm welcome is so much easier when you have a few tricks in your arsenal. 

Creating a beautiful cheese platter takes a little forethought, but really just minutes to prepare, and yet looks lavish and beautiful.  You can throw together a platter for last-minute guests even as they arrive, set one out for a beautiful no-fuss snack or appetizer, or serve it on a buffet as part of a bigger meal.  Serving a gorgeous platter is also a great way to care for guests with food allergies (more on that below!).  But if you’re looking for a fast, simple way to throw open your door this season and welcome your guests, look no further than building a beautiful platter. Here are some of my favorite tricks for making it happen!

Creating a Beautiful Cheese Platter

(or any kind of platter, for that matter!)

1. Plan ahead:
   • Stock your pantry so you’re able to throw together snacks at a moment’s notice. At our house I try to keep gluten-free crackers, nuts, dried fruit, pickles, jams and jellies, and good quality dark chocolate in the pantry so we always have a quick snack on hand.    **(Pro mom tip: Tuck special items away if you have hungry, athletic teen-aged thieves snackers in the house, so they don’t disappear without warning!)  NO ONE tell my kids I have shared this tip, please.
   • Pick up fresh cheese, fruit, and vegetables just before you plan to host.  Use about 3 types of cheese (4-5 max for a big crowd) and plan about 3 ounces of cheese per person.  (Discount groceries like Trader Joe’s, Aldi, and Lidl often have an incredible array of fun cheese varieties for a very reasonable price.)
   • Cheese tastes best at room temperature because the flavors have a chance to develop, so remove your cheese from the refrigerator 30 minutes to one hour before serving.  On the other hand, fresh veggies and crackers don’t like to be out too long, so pop those onto your serving dish just before everyone will eat.  If you drizzle on a spread or honey, wait till the last minute to add those to your platter.  (Place warmed cheeses in a separate dish just before serving.)
2. Mix up the flavors:
   • Separate cheeses using vessels, bowls, or other ingredients, to keep the flavors from invading one another, and offer serving utensils or knives for each.  I like to place cheeses (unevenly spread out) first on my platter, then fill in with my other ingredients.
   • Try adding a sweet element like dried fruits or a hunk of good quality dark chocolate.  Fresh figs feel exotic, apples add a tart crunch, pears are beautiful, slightly softer and sweet. Candied nuts work well for crunch, too.  (My friend Stephanie adds dried apricots to her platters – I love this idea for a tangy, chewy element.)
   • A good rule of thumb is to add 2-3 types of meat, 1-3 fruits, nuts and/or crackers for crunch, a fresh veggie or two and something tart and briney like pickles and olives.
   • Consider adding a sweet or spicy mustard, honey, or sweet or savory jams to complement your meats, crackers, and cheeses.  (We have made red wine jelly for our neighbors for Christmas gifts, and we often serve it over cream cheese – or are lucky enough to have them serve it to us when we visit!)
3. Think about presentation:
   • Choose a large ceramic platter or a rustic wooden tray and add smaller vessels to contain smaller items or marinated ones.  Vary color, texture, and height as if you’re creating art (you are!). Serving on beautiful surfaces adds to the experience.
   • Think about the shape of your foods and vary them.  Thick sliced salami contrasts with dainty prosciutto “flowers” (simply bunch the thinly sliced meat).  Small bowls raise ingredients for height while sliced apples and little bunches of grapes nestle below. Round fruits and square crackers play well together.
   • Curl, roll, tuck, layer, slice and chunk your ingredients for lovely visual variety.
   • Texture matters!!  Mix crunchy fresh vegetables and/or fruit with softer cheeses, hard salty cheeses with tender dried fruits and berries, drippy honey with thicker mustard or jam.
   • My grandma Rose taught me that all dishes should have a mix of color.  Dark purple grapes or blackberries, bright red cherries or pomegranate, green peppers or pickled green beans all come together for a festive mix.
   • Try cheeses made from different milks to add visual appeal and variety to your flavors.  An aged gouda with salty crystallization contrasts beautifully with a creamy, melty, warmed brie.  Try drizzling honey over sharp blue cheese (and for real beauty add a chunk of honeycomb!).  
4. Invite others to share:  I love to be able to take something when I accept an invite.  Platters make it easy to allow for food allergies and sensitivities (making it less stressful for those who have them), as well as providing easy, no-prep options to assign. 
   •  Ask guests to bring jarred jams, pickles, packaged nuts, and dried fruits.  Even crackers in the package allow you as the host to view ingredients and allocate allergy-sensitive items to one location.  You can assign guests who may not have sensitivities naturally gluten-free or dairy-free items (dried fruit and fresh fruit are great, and can be added at the last moment).
   • Invite friends to bring a favorite condiment or seasonal fruit.
   • Share your intended platter ingredients and invite connoisseurs to bring a drink to complement the spread.  You can even do a sweet platter and invite friends to bring a gourmet coffee or cocoa mix and marshmallows!

*Here’s a tip.  Try using natural-colored parchment paper underneath your cheese when you serve on wooden trays.  This protects your surface and the food and adds another layer of texture to your presentation.  It also makes clean-up even easier!

Favorite cheese and flavor combinations:

• A drizzle of honey adds a luscious contrast to a hunk of salty blue cheese or a roll of creamy, tangy goat cheese
• Rosemary peach jam is delicious over warmed brie
• Horseradish or honey mustard perfectly complements a cracker and salami
• Dried medjool dates with dairy-free cream cheese or coconut butter
• French cornichon pickles with goat cheese or dairy-free feta
• Cucumber slices with smoked salmon and fresh dill

For serving guests with food allergies (or for mixing up several different types of platters like a dessert or a savory platter), use more than one tray.  Use small chalkboards or place cards to label “gluten-free,” “dairy-free,” etc.  (I love this multi-tray rustic wood serving platter set.)

Some of my favorite brands for non-dairy cheeses include

1. Violife (their dairy-free feta is out of this world)
2. Kite Hill (any of their dips and spreads I’ve tried are delicious)
3. Miyoko’s (their pub cheese is way better than the stuff I crave from my late-night snacking with my grandma as a little girl!).

One last thought: A platter makes a gorgeous hostess gift, as well.  Choose a beautiful tray or dish and load it with yummy treats. At the end of the evening, the tray is your host’s gift to keep!  

Favorite trays and dishes for a gifting or creating beautiful cheese platter:

A rustic footed tree-slice serving tray

A custom hand-made pottery bowl

A pretty wooden serving tray with twig handles

A cool two-tiered rustic wood serving tray

Inspiring (easy but gorgeous) welcome,

Angela

A few more sources for your inspiration:

• Real Simple has even more tips on creating the perfect cheese platter.
• Bon Appetit offers us cheese plate mistakes to avoid (with a giggle)!
• Not interested in a platter?  Serve a delicious, easy chicken soup for an easy meal and invite guests to bring chips, crackers, or a salad!
• Want to throw a beautiful holiday party?  Try a hot cocoa bash with a little more prep and a fun invitation!