• platter
  • bunch of small platters for meats and cheeses
  • variety of dishes for vegetables, spreads, and nuts
• meat
  • thinly sliced
  • draped in loose piles
  • traditional: mortadella, salami, prosciutto
  • more interest: chorizo, landjäger, paté, serrano ham
• antipasti
  • grilled and marinated zucchini or bell peppers, pickled mushrooms, dolmades, olives, cornichons, olive-oil soaked sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichokes
• spreads
  • choose 2 or 3
  • sweet: fig mustard, honey, fruit chutney, jams
  • savory: grainy or spicy mustard, tapenade, pesto
• bread and crackers
  • variety of textures and flavors
  • soft: baguette, ciabatta, sourdough
  • crunchy: crackers, breadsticks, bite-sized pieces of dark breads like pumpernickel or rye
  • bruschetta?
• details
  • variety of textures and colors
  • nuts: go for salty, macadamia nuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios
  • fruit: fresh and dried, cranberries, apricots, raisins, grapes
  • herbs: rosemary, basil, mint
  • don't go overboard on these

from Kitchen Stories