For a busy holiday party, I find it easier to serve an appetizer or cheese board while everyone is waiting for the dinner hour. When guests arrive, it is very easy to have many types of cheese, nuts, dried fruit, condiments, crusty and multi-seeded bread ready to go. Guests can serve themselves while they enjoy conversation with others and the family.
I usually set up the table earlier in the day or the day before, depending on the guests’ arrival time. I have the serving dishes ready to go and mark them with post-it notes so it is an easy task to assemble at the last-minute.
This technique has worked for me over the years and keeps me from not having to hunt for a certain platter or dish just as the party is starting.
This past Easter I served a cheese board with four cheeses, complimented with many choices for both sweet and savory snacking.
Here are some photos which included the following choices:
white cheddar cheese with blue seedless grapes, fig jam, and hard salami
mini mozzarella balls with grape tomatoes and fresh basil
black and green olives with small dill pickles
aged cheddar with blueberry honey and candied tangerine slices
Bremner wafers with candied ginger nuts
Gouda cheese with natural almonds and dried cherries
Dill Havarti cheese with crusty bread and multi-grain seeded bread
Carr’s crackers, raspberries and bar cheddar cheese
Chocolate eggs and jelly belly beans
angel food garden 