best grazing board
how to say "f*ck it" and pile high, have fun, and get creative
It’s the holiday season, which means it’s the magical time of year where we push all of our real feelings down and just eat and drink our hearts out instead.
Personally, I could use a break from *feeling* so much. Pass me the the cheese and a fucking drink in the name of Jesus, already!
For many of us, this is the first time we’re even doing the holiday party thing in three years (!!!) (I actually did go to one last year and promptly got omicron which left me quarantined for both my bday and xmas - read more about that weird time here ) - so let’s do it up this year, baby!
I’m going to spare you my emotional blah blah blah this week and just tell you how to make a sick ass GRAZING BOARD because I firmly believe that sometimes you just need to say f*ck it, cut the feelz, and just be merry.
What is a grazing board, you ask?
A grazing board is filled with cheeses, dips, veggies, and lots and lots of accompaniments. Consider it an abundant cornucopia of bites, except there are no rules. Throw whatever gets your taste buds tingling or whatever your budget allows on there! Get creative. Pile high. Have fun with it!
Why graze?
This is the perfect appetizer or party center piece IMO - it’s a showstopper and you know we all eat with our eyes.
Truly anyone can make one and you don't have to be a good cook to make a great board.
It’s a great opportunity to showcase local and fresh ingredients.
There is truly as nosh for everyone - come one, come all weird allergy restrictions!
You can set it up easily - so no running around cooking while your guests arrive.
It’s also easy to prep in advance and bring to a party - you’ll surely make the guest who came in after you with a bottle of wine look boring.
Let’s be honest, it looks fantastic on the gram - no shame!
Now here are my tips on how to build a badass board
Choosing your vessel
Consider your headcount so you can choose the appropriate size board (or make multiple boards!)
A wood board gives a natural feel.
Butcher paper looks artsy, can transform any boring table (for example, I used butcher paper on a ping pong table once) and is a super easy cleanup.
Or...truly whatever you got! Marble slabs, cutting boards, and baking sheets work well too! I recommend a baking sheet if you want to make it in advance and transport to the party :)
Select little bowls / ramekins to hold the dips and jams - as well as being functional, this also adds height and makes the other items pop. They can be all different sizes, colors, and shapes - I think that is preferable for the rustic look.
Decoration: if you want a little je ne sais quoi - try playing with adding some natural non-edible elements to the board, such as leaves & flowers.
What to graze
Cheese, Charcuterie, Dips, Spreads, Jams Veggies, Nut, Fresh + Dried Fruits, Bread Crackers!
Let’s talk cheese
I’m all about the D (dairy), so I firmly believe that a good grazing board has some baller cheese.
Choose 2-3 cheeses:
Include one that is sweeter and spreadable (like a goat cheese)
One that is sharp, harder texture, and can stand on it's own (like manchego)
One that is soft, creamy, and mellow that will pair nicely with other ingredients (like brie)
Cheesy Tips:
Leave your goat and brie cheese on the counter for at least an hour before serving so it's soft and spreadable. For your harder cheese, slice the entire block while it's still cold - you can get cleaner slices this way.
Let's talk bread, veggies & dips
Select some sourdough bread and/or crackers
A hummus is a crowd pleaser, and is also DF/V. Make it easy on yourself and purchase a store bought hummus…then you can dress it up to look homemade! I like to imprint a big swirl, dose in EVOO, and then sprinkle with pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, pomegranate seeds, and / or spices (like za'atar!)
Choose veggies that showcase the rainbow! Consider their texture, crunchiness factor, and how easy they are for your guests to pick up. Choose local when you can to celebrate the season. Radishes, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots are all wonderful.
Let's talk jams / nuts / fruits
Nuts add a lot of texture to the board and great to fill any empty spaces
Jams add a pop of color to the board and is versatile. Can spread on cheese, or on the bread / crackers
Fruits provide color and a little sweet zing to take a break from the richer flavors on the board. Choose color, texture, and what's in season! Grapes, figs, pomegranates, oranges, apples, pears, are great right now.
Dried fruits also add a sweet yet natural treat to your board. These are also great to fill in any empty spaces.
Building your board
There is truly no formula to a grazing board. It will (and should!) look different every time. Even every time I make one it looks completely different!
If you’re feeling nervous and already holding yourself back because you don’t think you can make it look as good as what you’ve seen on Instagram - stop that right now! Put on some good music, pour yourself a glass of wine, and calm the fuck down. Let the creative juices flow!
I’ve helped a bunch of people make these who *think they can’t* and guess what, they CAN and they turn out absolutely gorgeous. You got this!
When in doubt - think "how can I add texture and color to the board?"
Start with your "anchor" ingredients - this is what the board will center around. I like to start with the bowls of hummus, jams, butter, since we know we need to make space for those.
Then chop your veggies, fruits, and cheese. Slice so that your guests can grab and go easily - the point is that they don’t need to use a fork or even grab a plate.
Then plan the ingredients that make sense to pair next to each other - such as crunchy veggies next to the hummus or soft cheese next to the jam.
Start building with one layer of ingredients and then add more. Don't be afraid to shift, or adjust as you go!
If you're doing this in advance, drizzle a little lemon juice on fruits like apple/pear so they don't get brown.
A grazing board is abundant - so let it look a little messy to get that rustic look, and pile high!
Happy grazing!
ILYSM
Tessa
Great subject!! A grazing board is not only fashionable but also easy. My mom used to do this way back when but she would prepare platters dividing them, one chees, another meats, the other veggies and so on. All around my parents house to encourage mingling. I love it !! Thanks for the post, ill be sure to pass it around...
Merry Christmas!! Feliz Navidad!!