Ingredient Ideas:
• Assorted Crackers & Breads
• Cheeses: Brie, Swiss, Feta, Gouda, and Gruyère
• Cured and smoked meats: Prosciutto, salami, sliced chorizo, smoked Salmon
• Dips: Smoked salmon, hummus, roasted beetroot and feta
• Pickled Goods: Olives, baby bell pepper stuffed with cream cheese
• Fresh seasonal fruits and nuts: Grapes, strawberry, blueberries, passionfruit
• Condiments: Jams, honeycomb, pickles
• Serving utensils: Toothpicks, serving tongs, small plates, napkins, spoons, cheese knives
Tips and Tricks
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Decide the location of your grazing platter: A clean countertop is a great location for a large grazing platter. You can put the items straight on the counter or use baking or parchment paper for easy clean up.
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Add height: This adds a great visual effect as well as making it easy for people to access the dips and condiments. You can use anything from a pedestal server to a serving plate on top of an upside-down bowl.
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Place bowls with dips and condiments: Place small bowls for dips, nuts and condiments and add a small spoon to each.
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Add cheese: Cheese is truly the star of the show and always the first to be eaten. Place a variety of sliced and whole chunks to the table with a cheese knife beside each. People can be timid about being the first to cut into a whole chunk of cheese so have a few slices already cut beside it.
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Add fruit: This adds a wonderful fresh element to the platter as well as some fabulous color. Choose whatever is in season and make sure it’s in easy to grab bite size pieces.
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Add Meat: Now it’s time to add the meat. You can make tall piles of salami circles or lay meat slices around a chunk of cheese or even try a few salami roses for visual interest.
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Add remaining items: Lastly add remaining nuts, crackers and bread. Fill all the gaps and if you don’t have space for everything, you just can replenish throughout your event.
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Remember to give yourself enough time to get the grazing platter together, a large platter on a countertop typically takes up to an hour to get everything set up. Lastly, don’t forget to chill your wine so it’s ready to pour and enjoy with your grazing platter!
