SPREAD THE LOVE

Express your fondness for delicious confections by assembling a charcuterie board piled high with fruit and treats that are meant to be shared.

Vintage valentines are perhaps the best reminders of simpler days. Red and pink designs, lace borders and warm messages bring a dash of wholesome romance to the holiday. Jessica Russell of Itty Bitty Farmhouse wanted to cook up the sweetest message of all—a Valentine’s Day breakfast meant to be shared.

Think beyond breakfast in bed and herald the holiday with a buffet-style charcuterie board packed with breakfast favorites and indulgent candies. Jessica wanted to create something uniquely sweet for Valentine’s Day, and her ode to breakfast hints at playful twists on the day of love. Anyone familiar with the popular television show Parks and

Recreation will recall Indiana resident and Galentine’s Day inventor Leslie Knope and her penchant for waffles. With breakfast foods, beloved friends and a cutting board that has served up many family meals, you can host a fun ladies-only event and decorate on a dime.

Jessica’s vintage heart cookie cutters double as lovely accents to her spread peppered with pops of red, white and pink. The chocolate Reese’s hearts lend enduring holiday nostalgia, the Hersey’s Kisses provide shiny pizzazz, and the granola and fruit confirm a country vibe. Jessica applied the rule of three when outfitting her board, using three metal cookie cutters, three white bowls and three Belgian waffles as her bigger items. The resulting arrangement offers a variety of goodies that are as tempting to look at as they are delicious to eat.

To style your own charcuterie board, start by placing three small bowls on a cutting board, breadboard or pizza peel. Jessica chose simple white pieces with fluted sides for a romantic touch. Next, add in three heart cookie cutters, as Jessica did, or try store-bought cookie cutters shaped like cupids for a unique twist. Place granola in one of the open cookie-cutter hearts to create textural interest. Fill one of your bowls with yogurt topped with a sprinkling of granola and the other bowls with red fruits such as strawberries or raspberries. Then, add the three waffles as well as the largest of your chocolate treats—here, Jessica layered Reese’s hearts to provide height to the arrangement. Finally, fill in the remaining spaces with berries, other candies and granola. Jessica topped off her spread with honey wands as a sweet reminder of the holiday.

This Valentine’s Day, let your delicious treats and classic decor remind your loved ones how much you care!