Dayton Idea Book February 2021

Cheeses: Choose 4+
Selecting a soft cheese, a semi-soft cheese, a firm cheese,
and a blue cheese will provide for a balanced combination.
For example: a brie for the soft, a Havarti or mozzarella for
the semi-soft, and a cheddar for the firm selection. If you
don’t care for “stinky” cheeses, consider one with added
wine, herbs or fruit. Have fun with the cheeses. These
selections seem to generate the most buzz among guests.
Meats: Choose 2+
Consider a reliable classic such as ham or turkey, then add
a spicier selection or two—possibly pepperoni, salami,
prosciutto, cured sausage, chorizo, or even bacon. While
some of these meats can be a bit pricey per pound, you
really don’t need a large amount of each. Guests will be
enjoying tasting portions.
Bread and crackers: 2+
A hearty bread, such as a baguette, ciabatta, or nutty whole
grain loaf, sliced into small sections is great for creating
tasty masterpieces using the meats and cheeses along with
a smear of jam, chutney or mustard. A few clusters of
gourmet crackers work well for staging those smaller bites.
Fruits: 3+
Fruits are great for adding splashes of color to your board.
Clusters of red or green grapes and berries add a visual
punch. Apple slices might work well with your Cheddar
cheese. Pears accompany your brie. Also consider dried
fruits in the form of figs, cranberries or dried apricots.
Spreads: 2+
You should include at least one sweet and one savory
spread. In general, a spicy whole grain mustard is always a
good pick to satisfy the savory side of things, but a hummus
or tapenade will work as well. The sky is the limit on the
sweet side— anything from a local honey to chutney or jam.
Final touches
Small, but mighty details to add include pickles, veggies, and
olives. Add in a variety of nuts—walnuts, cashews, almonds,
pistachios, and pecans—there’s not a bad choice in the
bunch. A sprig of rosemary, or another fresh herb add a
perfect finishing touch.
Assembly
Find the right board to build your platters. Large cutting
boards, marble slabs, slate boards or ceramic platters are
great options. Start with one of your larger items as a focal
point, place the items in order of biggest to smallest. Meats
can be sliced, folded or rolled up in individual tasting sizes.
Soft cheeses should be served with a spreader or butter
knife. Hard cheeses can sliced, cubed, or served with a
knife. The smaller items, such as bread slices, crackers and
nuts should be in a couple different areas so that they are
easily within reach. Mustards and jams can be placed in small
ramekins scattered around the board with spreaders nearby.
While assembly may seem intimidating, you really can’t mess
it up. If you’d prefer to have a visual staring point, find a
version online to use as inspiration. Enjoy!
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