Ingredients:

  • 8 oz Brie or Camembert
  • 6 oz Sharp Cheddar, cubed
  • 6 oz Goat Cheese or Boursin
  • 4 oz Manchego or Gouda, sliced into triangles
  • 4 oz Prosciutto or Salami, folded
  • 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
  • 1/2 cup Cornichons or pickled peppers
  • 1/2 cup fruit jam or preserves
  • 1 cup red grapes
  • 1/2 cup fresh cranberries or pomegranate seeds
  • 1/2 cup dried apricots or dates, sliced
  • 4 oz apple slices or pear wedges
  • 2 cups assorted crackers
  • 1 cup toasted almonds or walnuts
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary

Instructions:

  1. Place bowls of olives and jams on opposite ends of the board to establish anchors.
  2. Position the Brie and Cheddar in two different quadrants of the board to prevent overcrowding in the center.
  3. Create 'rivers' of cured meats and crackers by folding salami into fans or ribbons and curving them from the cheeses toward the edges.
  4. Arrange crackers in a winding path that leads the eye from one cheese anchor to the next.
  5. Tuck grape clusters, apple slices, and dried fruits into the remaining open spaces on the board.
  6. Fill the smallest remaining holes with almonds and pomegranate seeds.
  7. Nestle rosemary sprigs around the edges for a fragrant, forest-green finish.