Putting together a great grazing platter is essential to being a good party host. You can improve your grazing platter skills when you stop committing these five grazing platter hiccups. These tips will help you next time you are tasked with preparing grazing platter spread for a party.
One: Not Enough Preparation Time
Prep work is a big deal in the kitchen for any event, so waiting until the last minute to put together the grazing platter will have you cutting cheese and scrunching cured meats when you should be entertaining your guests. Prep and have all your items ready to go well in advance! Including the washing of your fruit.
You should also plan out your shopping list and buy your ingredients the day before the event. The produce will still be fresh, and you still have time to prepare all the ingredients hours before your guests arrive. Keep the grazing platter cold in the refrigerator overnight or from that morning, until you are ready to serve it on the table.
Two: Not Enough Cheese
What should be on a cheese platter? Cheese, cheese, and more cheese! Having one kind of cheddar is simply not going to cut it. To have the best grazing platter, make sure to have the best selections of cheese. You always want to include a hard cheese like pecorino, semi-hard cheese like a Swiss and also a soft cheese like a creamy double camembert. Some cheeses that we like to use are truffle pecorino, full cream ricotta, buffalo mozzarella, gorgonzola dolce and walnut cream cheese just to name a few. One thing to keep in mind is that the cheese on the platter should be at room temperature when it is served.
Three: Not Using Seasonal Produce
For a fresh looking grazing platter, you should use fruit that is in season to ensure the best flavours. You can find the freshest and tastiest local produce by shopping at Sydney fruit market. Best to head there nice and early as it tends to get really busy after 7am. Have fun with seasonal flavours and your guests will have a more enjoyable experience.
Four: Not Filling Enough
There should always be some form of starch, carb, and protein to ensure your guests don’t leave hungry. Fruits and cheese alone will keep guests still feeling hungry, so you want to always include cured meats, crackers, breadsticks and bread. Don’t forget to add a serving of a delicious dip like a crunchy basil pesto.
Five: Sloppy Presentation
A grazing platter packed with food can be visually appealing as long as the presentation is thoughtful with the colours and placement of items. Contrasting colours always look great side by side and will make the platter pop. You also want to add depth by arranging different fruits of the same colour and shade and layering them on top of each other to give the platter a more abundant look.
A sparse grazing platter isn’t appealing to the eye which is why you should always fill your empty gaps on the board with garnishes like edible flowers, nuts, dried fruit and sometimes herbs. You can also stack or flat lay crackers in the empty spaces in between bowls of dip.
To make a good impression with your hosting, you can always rely on a grazing platter and table caterer to deliver the goods. Loaded with fruits, gourmet cheeses, cured meats, crackers, and even hot canapes, La Paparedda Catering brings all of the ingredients of a beautiful grazing table right to your event without all the hassle of prepping and cooking yourself.