Anything-But-Boring Boards
The holiday entertaining season is in full swing, and although the festivities aren’t back to the level they were pre-COVID, many folks are planning to celebrate in-person with loved ones this year. And since keeping our loved ones safe and healthy is still top of mind, another age-old question is sure to come up: What food to serve?
Whether you're hosting an intimate holiday get-together or a mega end-of-the-year bash, a party-worthy platter of small bites is guaranteed to please. Monj Culinary Director Chef Eliza likes to call these “gathering boards,” and we think that name couldn’t be more perfect. And with her help, we’ve collected our favorite ideas for creating an appealing spread.
Before we dive into our top tips for creating a festive board, a little history on this party-worthy food spread. The charcuterie board was arguably the first iteration of the appetizer board. The pros (aka French chefs) define it as “the art of preparing various meats, in particular, pork, in order to present them in the most diverse ways.” Of course, there’s no need to restrict yourself to an arrangement of exclusively cured and cooked meats — cheeses, veggies, dips, spreads, fruits, and many other possibilities all have their place. But what to include? And how to arrange it? Let’s take a closer look:
Variety is the spice of life
The sky’s the limit when it comes to selecting the foods to include on your board, but one rule is that variety is king. That applies to types of foods as well as the flavors and textures — you want a combination of crunchy, creamy, moist, and dry as well as both sweet and savory flavors. Choose some fruit or compote to pair with various types of cheeses, from soft to hard. Include some crisp, raw and picked veggies to pair with dips. And don’t forget the little extras, like nuts, olives, crackers, mustards, and (of course) those eponymous sliced meats.
Shapes & clusters draw the eye
When designing your board, start by arranging any small bowls you might be using for dips, olives, and other (usually wet) items that need to be contained. For cheeses, try slicing into various shapes, like sticks, wedges, and cubes. Then, arrange your meats, cheeses, and veggies in “rivers” around the bowls, filling in whatever gaps are left with things like fruit, nuts and stacks of crackers. To spruce things up, decorate your board with sprigs of woody herbs like rosemary, or bright fruits like cranberry or pomegranate.
Big or small…the choice is yours
The size of your board might be dictated by the size of your gathering, but you don’t need a large board for a large gathering. Several small boards spread throughout the party will create different focal points for people to mingle. It’s also a great way to keep any meat items separated if you have any vegetarians in the crowd.
If you’re concerned about germs, you can create personal appetizer cups using cute mini mason jars, or by arranging various bites on short skewers. Party for one? Heck yeah! We love creating mini boards for solo enjoyment, or to share with just one other person. Plus, it can be a good way to practice before the big event.
Looking for even more detailed inspiration, including how to create some delicious board-worthy dips? Watch our Cook Along recording with Chef Eliza, who will guide you step-by-step through making a beautiful board. And don’t miss out on the accompanying Cheat Sheet for making the featured dishes.