Appetizer Platter, Cheese Board, Antipasto, Cheese & Charcuterie Platter… there are many names, but they all mean the same thing. Meats and cheeses mingled with pickled veggies, fresh fruits and veggies, dried fruits, nuts, sauces, condiments and just about anything your heart desires. At this time of year, these appetizer platters are made for holiday parties all around the world.
I love making these platters, but I also know it is easy to get it in a rut putting out the same items time after time. So on Sunday, my neighbor Natalie along with her kids and her parents came over for Happy Hour. So I took the opportunity to put together some boards that may have some new ideas for you to use the next time you need to put our a spread.
But before we go there let me say, if you do not have the time or the inclination then run to your local gourmet cheese shop or counter and tell them you want something magnificent. In Charleston, we are lucky to have goat.sheep.cow in two locations, and they do an incredible job.
Boards, Platters, Bowls and Utensils
To start your board, you can use a butcher block, traditional platter, or an actual cheeseboard. That works perfectly fine, and I do it frequently. But I also like to mix it up by using pretty much any flat object that I have lying around in my house. In the picture below you will see a round, white platter, (albeit it has an artsy design) a small bamboo cutting board, two marble boards of different styles, a ceramic raised tray that I bought at an art fair and three ceramic floor tiles.
I love using the floor tiles (barn wood, slate, grey marble) because they are quite inexpensive, are a great size, provide a unique look, and it is easy to clean up. Many times I may start with the floor tile and stack other objects on top to give the board some height variation.
I have assembled a variety of cheese board utensils over the years. Some are specifically for serving cheese and others have a variety of uses. As I show you some of the items that I used on my boards from Sunday, I will also talk about the container and or utensil.
On The Appetizer Platters
Before I dive into the details, please note that I made five boards for Sunday and there were only five adults and two young children. Usually for so few guests that would mean just one platter with maybe two cheeses, two types of meat, and a couple of veggies, fruits or nuts. As such the board would be packed to look more “full” with plenty to everyone to nibble on.
The boards shown in this post are what I might do if I was having a big gathering and I wanted to scatter the appetizers about the house, so a nibbly bit is always within reach without wasting a lot of food.
Spanish Board
Small Olive Platter
Dark Chocolate Platter
The Big Board
Almost done…. keep going… its a big board.
The Slate Board
Additional Items and Information
Are you a subscriber? If not, please do so now and never miss a post about food, wine, travel, and joi de vivre.
I love the idea of the ‘themed’ trays – especially that Spanish one! I didn’t realize Corn Nuts were popular there, but I’m very happy to learn that. I love me some Corn Nuts! Definitely using your ideas! Thanks for sharing!
Steven E Clem
It was a mistake to read this post late in the afternoon – now I need a snack!
Everything looked great – loved the individual themes, and will definitely “borrow” some ideas for my next event!
I love the idea of the ‘themed’ trays – especially that Spanish one! I didn’t realize Corn Nuts were popular there, but I’m very happy to learn that. I love me some Corn Nuts! Definitely using your ideas! Thanks for sharing!
It was a mistake to read this post late in the afternoon – now I need a snack!
Everything looked great – loved the individual themes, and will definitely “borrow” some ideas for my next event!