Cheese and Relish Tray- An Easy How To for Your Holiday Entertaining

So you're having friends over. And I have to say I am always surprised how many people are not sure how to put things together to make cocktail hour simple and tasty. and sexy.

SO I'm offering up this quick cheese and meat and pickle board to help you offer your guests a tasty and simple and good looking board.

So here's what you need for 2 to 4 ppl.

1/4 to 1/2 wheel of soft french style cheese like a brie but there are more interesting and funky one's just ask your local cheese monger.

1 big dollop of a soft sharp or herby flavored cheese spread. Like wine cheese or horseradish or Boursin Cheese normally found in the cheese selection in your grocery store.

10 to 15 pickles can be any like you have or like here I used cornichon or little french ones but you can use sweet and sour or bread and butter pickles whatever is your favorite. I would suggest a sour pickle because it plays against the creamy and fatty flavors of the cheese and meats.

Smoked ham, speck, salami folded on the board or artfully shingled or arranged. Be sure to have serval kinds so people can taste different things with each one.

Mustard. Well Dijon is a winner here but some German or Swedish types are also nice. Just be sure like the pickles you avoid sweet mustard. Unless that's your thing. Again there are no rules just what you like.

Bread or crackers. Again whatever you like. There are no rules. Here I have butter crackers which I adore. But baguette or water crackers are also great.

A few other things like are weird but good could be thin rounds of sliced red onion or try rounds of cucumber instead of crackers of bread.

To set it all up you want to create some drama by dropping your big dallop of mustard on your board and then dragging your spoon through it artfully to create a nice swirl. Suggestive of the paint on a painters pallete.

Next cut you cheese and stack and fold and crimp you meats into a nice arrangement. Mound the soft cheese in the center and garnish the board with the pickles. \

Place out with a knife and paper cocktail napkins and maybe some plates and you are good to go.

So I hope if you are looking to make your cheese board look beautiful this helps this season. Enjoy. And Happy Holidays from Taste and Tales!!