Need festive food for a gathering or upcoming party? Ready to try something new? Well you came to the right spot! Today I am joining a talented group of bloggers in a holiday appetizer roundup. Everyone is sharing something they love for this time of year. I am sharing my simple way to make pretty cheese board.
I find these boards are so popular that you can rely on them to fill most of your appetizer requirements for a gathering. It’s even better if you have a nice board to display it on.
I recently purchased this one from Crate & Barrel above, but I have my eye on these darling ones from Serena & Lily.. I like the leather straps to tote them and the whale spreaders!
I also like this one from Pottery Barn…
Having a good platter is half the battle.
Cheese boards are fun because you can make them seasonal. There is an easy equation to keep it simple- three cheeses, three fruits, and three kinds of crackers. I arrange those in a free-form fashion and fill in with whatever other nuts or salty treats I have on hand. Another touch that will make your cheese board popular is breaking up one or two dark chocolate bars and adding them in by the fruit. I copied this from an appetizer board at a tennis lunch and it’s been a hit every time I since.
The board on top photo was from my Blogger’s Lunch I hosted and it was in fall, so I used apples, pears, persimmons, walnuts and figs. I try and add three cheeses- one soft like a brie, a gouda or a manchego which are firmer, and a goat cheese which I like to drizzle honey and sprinkle almonds or pecans on. Mini apples are in the store now and look cute as a garnish on a fall board if you find them.
In summer I choose things like berries, peaches and apricots, the same cheeses and a little edible flower or two. Sprigs of fresh mint can look and smell pretty with the berries and the same cheeses and crackers.
In winter I like a pomegranate split on the board and the seeds sprinkled on top of a drizzle of honey on the goat cheese. Fruit is harder to come by so dried figs – the Turkish kind, can look pretty sliced in half, and of course citrus should be on a winter board. Clementines are very cute cut in little wedges or peeled and broken up next to dark chocolate. Candied nuts are a holiday touch you can add on a December board.
My go-to crackers are the unbeatable Rainforest Crisps, Trader Joes Pita Crackers, and any long Italian cracker. I also like to add Mary’s Classic Crackers as they are gluten free.
My formula is pretty simple and if you do these frequently it is easy to stock the basics in the pantry and pull one together on the fly. I worry often about them being neat, but sometimes just mounding them up and letting it all organically kind of fall together can look just as pretty, so don’t overthink it and have fun!
Now for more good ideas please stop by lovely partners in this and see what they have in store for you for holiday appetizers….
This is a link to each person’s blog and after their Instagrams so you can follow them there as well..
Melaine My Sweet Savannah @mysweetsavannah
Sheri Sheri Silver @sherisilver
StefanieBeautiful Living with Stefanie Wall @beautiful_living_wtih_stefanie
Mary Ann Classic Casual Home @classiccasualhome
Cindy Rough Luxe Lifestyle @cindyhattersley
Annie Most Lovely Things @most_lovely_things
I would love for you to share below in comments if you have a favorite appetizer for holiday get-togethers.
Cheers!
Kim
I feel so lucky that I actually got to partake of YOUR delicious and beautiful platter. Thanks again!
Mary Ann
Mary Ann thank you for all the kind words. You gals are so nice and a lot of fun. xo
MY MOTHER always did a BAKED BRIE with Like a PEPPER JELLY pored on TOP!With CRACKERS or a baguette………….
SIMPLE AND DELICIOUS.
SO LETS CALL THIS THE BETTY!
MY SON is making SERVING boards at the Moment…………….he had them on his STORIES on INSTAGRAM Yesterday!
They are still THERE GO LOOK KIM!
Mine is in the MAIL!Will share with YOU when it gets HERE!
To see the ARTISAN SON AT WORK AND PLAY……..go to Kristopher.Kirkpatrick on INSTAGRAM!
A little PLUS for the SON is GOOD…………YES?
XX
Elizabeth loved his boards!! Amazing and gorgeous.. Love the Betty! I have a friend who does this too. So yummy. So excited for your son -he is very talented. You must be so proud. xo
Kim your party was so amazing! Every detail so thought out, gorgeous and delicious. You are the perfect hostess. I am going to check out those Serena and Lilly boards …I love them!! You can’t have too many appetizer boards. They always make everything prettier!!
Cindy thanks you are sweet. Love those boards aren’t they darling and different? xo
Kim, I ALWAYS love a good cheese board (often more than the main course!) and these look SO GOOD! I love how versatile they are and your tip on adding chocolate! Thanks for all the great tips and links for the beautiful boards to purchase. Happiest Holidays to you!
Stefanie thanks so much. Lovely doing this with you too. Happy Holidays. xo
Love love love a good cheese board! Yours is beautiful and so many great suggestions! So nice to participate in Project Design with you; look forward to following! 🙂
Sheri me too because of the ease. Thanks fun to find your blog too. Loving all the great recipes! x
Thanks for stopping by my blog and subscribing. I hope you start to receive my updates. Sometimes it doesn’t work. I really enjoyed reading this article. Cheese boards are my favourite type of party food.
Lorna so glad to find you! Looking forward to reading more. I know I wish I was better at hot appetizers, but I am a bit on the lazy side and I think the boards are so simple!! Thanks so much. xo
Beautiful! Those Whale Spreaders sent my heart a flutter. Gotta get me some of those!
Celia aren’t they darling?? So different than the usual too.. I know they are on my list.
Kim,
I love your cheese, fruit and chocolate board…It’s so original that it needs a name…as Elizabeth suggested. I just love everything about this and will be trying my best to replicate it during the holidays!
xo
Annie
Kim,
I love your cheese, fruit and chocolate board…It’s so original that it needs a name…as Elizabeth suggested. I just love everything about this and will be trying my best to replicate it during the holidays!
xo
Annie
Annie thanks so much. I don’t know why this comment went to spam. So loved doing this with you.. and all the ideas from you too. I am going to try and replicate your appetizer this weekend! Hugs.
I love your cheese and crackers board formula. . It makes it so easy. Love the addition of Chocolate also. I’m a sucker for beautiful cheeseboards. I could make that dinner and dessert! Great job.