How To Create The Perfect Grazing Table At Home
Grazing tables are the latest dinner party du jour, and when better to create
one of your own to share with friends and family than at Christmas?
Reinvent the classic cheeseboard by creating a beautiful festive grazing table
with Port Salut this Christmas!
We have collaborated with fine grazing caterers GRAPE & Fig to share their top secrets and simple
yet effective tips to help you create an extra special spread to start conversations and make merry memories!
1. Arrange your cheese selection
Start by distributing your cheese evenly around your festive platter, leaving space for additional items. Port Salut is the perfect choice due to its crowd-pleasing mild taste and semi-soft, creamy texture. For added visual interest, place some on its side and some upright; displaying both the delicious cheese centre and the eye-catching vibrant orange rind.
2. Add ramekins with dip and antipasti
Arrange a selection of colourful, flavour-filled ramekins around the platter. Hummus is a must, artichoke hearts, pesto and sundried tomatoes are popular but can be a little oily, hence the ramekin dish. Use dips that contrast the bright colour of Port Salut, bringing your grazing table to life.
3. Get cracker-ing and be bold with bread
Add a selection of crackers with different shapes, sizes and flavours. The mild taste and creamy texture of Port Salut suits almost all varieties and the contrast of soft cheese with crispy crackers is so moreish! Place your crackers between the cheese and the ramekins to stop them collapsing. Bring even more festive flair and flavour to your cheeseboard with a delicious speciality bread, like walnut and fig loaf. This will look beautiful and complement the creaminess of the cheese.
4. Finishing touches and festive gamechangers
Fill the remaining spaces on your platter with seasonal treats like pretzels, nuts, winter berries, dried and fresh fruits. Take your platter to the next level by adding fresh honeycomb. The sweet and sticky taste and texture of the honey combined with the creamy and melt-in-your-mouth Port Salut makes for a memorable taste combination.
5. Top tips for grazing platter success
a. Keep your ingredients grouped together (see picture)
b. Add cured meats right last, straight from the fridge to ensure freshness
c. Don’t worry about people getting stuck in straight away and ‘spoiling’ the platter – keeping the food in distinct sections will help it stay tidy and a grazing platter actually looks more beautiful the more it is enjoyed!
d. Making Port Salut the highlight of your Christmas grazing table will help orange and red elements (like dried apricots, orange slices and Moroccan hummus) make the colour pop perfectly, bringing your platter together. For an extra festive touch, add some dried orange blooms around the edges.
e. If you’d like some inspiration for hot appetisers, you’ll find recipes for Pancetta, Pepper & Port Salut Mini-Rolls and Mediterranean Ciabatta with Port Salut on our recipes page.
Port Salut is available to purchase for £2.00 from Asda, Morrisons, Sainsburys, Tescos, Waitrose and Ocado.
