How to style a rustic grazing platter

The simple pleasure of getting together with loved ones is something we value now more than ever. With the festive season almost upon us, home entertaining will undoubtedly weave its way into our calendars. Grazing platters and boards are a great way to cater for your guests with an endless variety of options to suit your taste and style. We have prepared some tips for creating an effortless grazing platter perfect for your next soiree.

Grazing board platter styling entertaining tips

To create a more rustic aesthetic, use wooden boards or bowls for your serveware. Alternatively, if you are hosting a more formal occasion use marble or ceramic serveware. Pair with a cheese knife and small ceramic dip bowls.

The hero of all platters is cheese, and good quality cheese at that. Choose a minimum of two varieties depending on the size of your platter. A wheel of soft truffle brie and a herb marinated feta are pictured, but follow your cheese dreams and pick to suit your taste. 

If including meat in your platter avoid pre-packaged varieties. Source some cured meats from your local deli and ask for thinly shaved slices. Select a variety of crackers or bread incorporating different colours and textures and include a plain variety such as lavosh.

Fruit is essential, bringing colour and freshness to your platter. Select fruit that isn't going to leak juice onto your crackers. Fruit such as grapes, figs, pears and berries are ideal.

The addition of raw honeycomb creates a decadent aesthetic and its pure sweet tasting goodness will pair perfectly with your creamy cheese.

Ingredients

At least two different varieties of cheese
Crackers and/or bread
Cured meats and/or olives
Fresh fruit
Nuts
Raw honeycomb
Grazing board platter entertaining styling tips
STEP 1
Take your cheeses out of the refrigerator about an hour prior to serving so that they will be room temperature for when your guests arrive. Use your ceramic dip bowls for feta, or olives and arrange cheeses on your serveware.

 

Grazing board platter styling entertaining tipsSTEP 2

Place your fruit next to your cheeses. Create more than one bunch of fruit so that colour is being spread across your serveware. If using figs, cut in halves lengthways and arrange alongside your other fruit. 

STEP 3
Arrange your crackers in flat stacks between your fruit and cheeses. 

Grazing board platter stylingSTEP 4

Fill the gaps of your platter with nuts such as pistachios or cashews. 

 

STEP 5
Break off a chunk of raw honeycomb and place on top of your cheese wheel and drizzle honey on top so that it drips over the edge of the cheese.  
Grazing board platter styling entertaining tips
Bon appétit mon ami