A grazing platter makes the perfect appetiser for entertaining friends and family and can even substitute the need for a meal at any event. Here are some of our top ten tips for putting together the perfect grazing platter board.
Pick a theme or country of origin.
Here at La Paparedda Catering, we generally stay within an Italian theme as our heart and passion is all about bringing Italy to your next event, however you can choose anything you like. Sticking to a the me can help create a sense of unity in the presentation and palette of the spread.
Plan it out
Before you start throwing things together on any timber board or serving platter, create a plan of attack. Consider the colours, presentation, and flavours of what you want to put the board. Prepare you grazing platter shopping list to make sure everything sums up the platter just the way you imagined it. I like to use my ‘notes’ section in my iPhone to do this.
Not too light or heavy
Select a variety of different foods that are both filling and lightweight. The board should have cheese and cured meats, but also include other options such as fresh and dried fruits, nuts, something sweet like chocolate, and don’t forget the crackers.
Use bowls
Instead of having everything mushed together on the platter, separate some of the elements such as olives or dips by using small bowls placed in and around the food.
Seasonal produce
Try to shop for grazing platter ingredients which are currently in season for a more flavourful and fresh selection.
Items that stay fresh
You do not want to load the board up with fruits that will quickly wilt or brown. Cutting up any fruit looks great and colourful, however it can turn brown quickly and looks unappealing. Grapes, whole stone fruits and berries are always safe to include on a grazing platter board as they stay fresh for a while at room temperature.
Fill in the gaps
In between the various grazing platter ingredients, there will be empty spaces. Fill those spaces with leafy garnishes, extra crackers, nuts, chocolate coated almonds, and other food items to make it look full and abundant.
Have fun with it
Get creative with the design and flavours on your grazing platter board. You can mix up the look, cuisine, theme, and flavours of the grazing board to match the event. As our name says, we like to keep with an Italian theme graze. The grazing platter ingredients are not limited to cheese and crackers. Explore, the world is your oyster!
A perfect grazing platter is easy to put together if you follow all of these tips. Although if you’re after something larger, consider hiring us for your next big event. We use gourmet ingredients such as truffle pecorino, San Daniele prosciutto, seasonal produce, and make some of our own items such as our baked ricotta, antipasti and also chocolate. We have a large range of options for a great grazing table to keep your guests satisfied.
Looking for more inspiration? Checkout our range of grazing platters and grazing boxes, on our website. Reach out to us for any further catering enquiries.