Create a simple grazing board with 4 basic components and you are on your way to hosting! It is is one of the easiest and warmest ways to greet guests when you are hosting. The beauty of creating a simple grazing board lies in its adaptability. You can really get creative with a few small bites and we are here to walk you through the 4 components you need to create a simple grazing board.
What You Need to Create A Simple Grazing Board
To create a grazing board, you will need a beautiful and functional serving board. Don’t quite have what you are looking for? Our Fall Into Home hosting box includes a custom wood board and is a unique and artisanal canvas for the grazing board you want to create.
Gather 4 Components: The Basics of a Simple Grazing Board
Let’s not overcomplicate this–our intent is to inspire you to make it your own and indulge in your favorite flavors that you want to share with your guests. To give you some guidelines, we’ve defined four key components to a well-balanced grazing board. If you have at least one ingredient from each component category, you’re sure to have a delicious spread!
1. The Salty Component of a Simple Grazing Board
Every grazing board needs a salty component. An obvious choice would be a cured meat or hard salami. But why stop there? There are loads of other savory options to try such as nuts, olives, or a savory spread such as pesto, pate, or hummus. One of our favorites is the Artisanal Walnut Sage Pesto from our Fall Into Home box. It’s a tangy and unexpected set of flavors that will surprise and delight your guests.
2. The Cheese Component of a Simple Grazing Board
As for the cheese component, we suggest sticking with crowd-pleasing flavors rather than something too polarizing. Select at least one soft cheese like Blue, Goat, or Boursin, and complement it with a hard cheese such as Parmesan, Manchego, or Asiago.
3. The Bread & Cracker Component of a Simple Grazing Board
The bread and cracker component plays a vital role in a balanced spread. The key is to pick a bread or cracker that works with the spreads, cheeses, and other savories on your board. Our favorite choice, Potter’s Crackers, is already at your fingertips in the Fall Into Home box, offering the perfect balance of flavor and crispness. Other ideas could be toasted baguette slices, pita slices, bread sticks, or crostini toasts.
4. The Sweet Component of a Simple Grazing Board
Adding a touch of sweetness to your board is the perfect finish to complement your salty, savory, and cheesy flavors. Dried fruits like figs and apricots work beautifully anytime. Fresh and crisp seasonal fruits like apples, pears, figs, berries, or grapes bring a burst of juicy brightness to invigorate the palate. The Fall Into Home box’s handmade clay dishes make for perfect vessels to serve these delectable bites.
An alternative to fresh or dried fruits or berries is to include a jam or sweet chutney which can pair beautifully with cheeses. And if you’re really looking for a crowd-pleasing addition, dark chocolate pieces will certainly be welcomed and devoured.
By incorporating all four of these components into your grazing board, your guests will enjoy a dynamic array of sweet and savory bites.
Create a Grazing Board with 4 Components
Here is our go-to guide for creating a simple grazing board!
1. Salty Component (choose 1 or 2):
- Nuts (Marcona almonds, Pistachios, Brazil Nuts)
- Pesto, chutney, pate, hummus, or other savory spread
- Olives (We prefer pitted for easy snacking)
- Cured meats, hard salami, sausages, smoked fish
2. Cheese Component:
Pick at least one soft and one hard from the choices below:
- Soft: Blue, Goat, or Boursin
- Hard: Parmesan, Manchego, or Asiago
3. Bread & Cracker Component:
- Potters Crackers—Our favorite!
- Toasted baguette slices
- Chunks of fresh pita bread
- Crostini toasts
- Bread sticks
4. Sweet Component:
- Dried fruit
- Fresh fruit, berries, or grapes
- Dark chocolate pieces
- Assorted jams or honey’s
