HOW TO BUILD A DIVINELY INDULGENT FALL FEAST ON A PLATTER

Entertaining has to be easy and enjoyable, at least when it involves a few dear friends gathering for a glass of wine in an informal setting. One of the ways to simplify hosting is to prepare everything in advance and then enjoy the night. I’ve found that relying on boards and platters helps to make this possible. 

Recently, I purchased a beautiful, ornate pumpkin board at HomeGoods, which in turn inspired me to create a Fall feast on a plate. Cheese always tastes good to me— I could live on it! For this dinner, I choose cheddar and Colby jack because they have a lovely orange color. I added Manchego to balance the taste and did a small trick with Brie. I cut the top part of it, spread it with orange marmalade (but apricot could also work), and then used cookie cutters to cut two leaves from the separated top which I then placed back on top of the marmalade.  It’s simple but effective.

Then I added in black, plump grapes and figs, walnut dip, and mango chutney to pair with the cheese. Crackers and nuts completed the board, and as decoration, I added artificial orange berries that I bought at the Dollar Store (which is always a great resource). I displayed pumpkin cheesecake bites, macarons, and melted chocolate dip on a second board.  I suggest adding a full-bodied red wine such as Shiraz, Nero D’Avola, or Malbec, and voila’, a fall cocktail hour begins.