The platter
Begin with the cheeses. Remove them from the fridge now; by the time the platter is finished, they’ll be the perfect temperature. Distribute evenly; not positioned together in one area. Leave soft cheeses whole, but slice hard cheeses into wedges.
Next, scatter ramekins, jam jars or pots around the platter to fill with dips (hummus is essential) and antipasti, such as stuffed olives, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts and ricotta-stuffed peppers.
Stack the crackers. Tuck them between stable parts of your platter, such as cheese blocks and ramekins, to stop them toppling over. Keeping them in groups or lines gives a great finish to the overall aesthetic.
There should be ‘pools’ of space around boards to fill with remaining ingredients. Meats, fruits, nuts, pretzels and a few sweet treats are perfect here, but nothing that’s been cooked or should be kept hot. This means there’s no stressful last-minute cooking or reheating and everything will sit happily at room temperature for the length of the party.
Think about texture, size and colour. Put creamy dips next to crunchy crackers, piles of olives adjacent to a loaf of bread and colourful sun-dried tomatoes with pots of hummus. But don’t fret too much, it should reflect your personality and feel relaxed.
Keep each ingredient together in one section for a neat finish. For height, lay small cheeseboards (try Ikea) on wooden boxes, then put hero ingredients on top, such as a Brie wheel topped with honeycomb and nuts. It draws the eye and adds variety.
At the last moment, put out meats straight from the fridge and vary how you arrange them; scrunch Parma ham into piles and layer sliced salami in lines or fans. Add warm bread to the centre of the table.
Include surprising touches. Topping Brie with honeycomb is simple yet special. A truffled salami or cheese is a great addition, too, and you can find these at supermarkets as well as specialist cheesemongers. Halved figs and pomegranates dotted around cheese provide a nice balance, alongside the traditional accompaniment of grapes.
Lay serving spoons and knives next to ingredients, where appropriate. Decorate the edges of the table with stems of fresh eucalyptus for a final flourish. Large sprigs of fresh woody herbs that won’t wilt, such as rosemary, add a fragrant touch.
Guests can go back to graze time and again during the event (we recommend a maximum of four hours). Don’t worry about people getting stuck in and spoiling the platters; they look more beautiful as they’re enjoyed; keeping ingredients in sections creates pockets of space rather than mess.
For more information, visit grapeandfig.com