The new season brings on many changes: falling leaves, colourful trees and a slow move to comforting meals shared indoors. As we wind down from our busy summers and start entertaining friends and family for special holiday meals, these grazing platters are the perfect thing to add to the menu. Get your creativity flowing as you mix your favourite ingredients into a platter your guest will devour. Learn the steps and get inspired to try new cheeses as you follow the expert guide.
Meet Our Expert
Hanna Hajilou is the founder and food stylist behind the grazing company À la table by Hanna. She is the first to bring the concept of grazing tables to North America in 2017. With a website servicing the greater Montreal and a boutique in Sutton, QC located in the Château Ste. Agnès vineyard, Hanna has created a community that loves to follow her day-to-day on social media as she shares her favorite cheeses, what inspires her daily, and all the new and delicious product offerings that she has curated for À la table.
The Fall Grazing Platter
Nothing starts off a dinner party quite like a delicious charcuterie spread. Step up the setup for your Thanksgiving celebration or your next fall dinner party by creating an abundant fall grazing platter. Filled with your favourite cheeses, fruits and salty snacks, this board is as beautiful as it is delicious. It's just the thing to accompany a cocktail as your guests trickle in. Plus, you can easily put this together hours before your guests come over making it a great choice when you're already prepping a big holiday meal.
What You’ll Need
Crackers
Coppa
Baby Pickles
Ground Cherries and Grapes
Currants and Pommettes
Rosemary Iberico
Moliterno al Tartufo
Figs and Dried Apricots
Truffle Brie
Olives
Mini Saucisson
- Crackers
- Coppa
- Baby Pickles
- Ground Cherries and Grapes
- Currants and Pommettes
- Rosemary Iberico
- Moliterno al Tartufo
- Figs and Dried Apricots
- Truffle Brie
- Olives
- Mini Saucisson
How To
1.
Aim for 3 different types of cheese. Go for variety, one soft, one hard and definitely try to add one fun flavoured cheese for your guests to discover.
2.
Always place your cheese and ramekins first since these will occupy most of the space. Then you can add bigger elements like grapes, crackers and charcuterie.
3.
Fill in any holes with your figs, nuts and apricots. The idea here is really to layer ingredients to create surprising pockets of ingredients throughout the platter.
4.
Finish your platter by topping it with thyme and honey drizzle over your favourite cheese.
The Baked Brie Platter
Fans of brie and baked-brie specifically will get especially excited about this combination. Switch things up with a platter that features a decadent, warm brie topped with pistachios and honey. A riff off the cheese fondue, the melted brie can be spread over baguette or crackers for a satisfying starter or as part of the spread for a holiday cocktail party.
What You’ll Need
Figs and Walnuts
Manchego Queso
Honeycomb
Ground Cherries and Currants
Baguette
Brie and Pistachios
Coppa
- Figs and Walnuts
- Manchego Queso
- Honeycomb
- Ground Cherries and Currants
- Baguette
- Brie and Pistachios
- Coppa
How To
1.
Layering plates on platters is a great way to add height and dimension to a seemingly simpler board. It’s also a great way to highlight a special cheese or add loads of honey without getting it everywhere.
2.
There are many ways to fold charcuterie to make it look it beautiful. For round meats use the quarter fold method for added texture. You can also experiment with fun rose shapes.
3.
Place your brie in the Cast Iron Mini Cocotte and heat until melted. Top with honey, pistachios and rosemary for the perfect dippable or spreadable cheese.
