Ingredients:

  • 4 oz Brie or Camembert
  • 4 oz Sharp Cheddar or Manchego
  • 4 oz Prosciutto, thinly sliced
  • 4 oz Genoa Salami, sliced into rounds
  • 4 oz Soppressata or Pepperoni, sliced
  • 1 cup water crackers
  • 1 cup red grapes, on the vine
  • 1 cup fresh strawberries, halved
  • 1/2 cup dried apricots or figs
  • 1/4 cup raw almonds or walnuts
  • 3 tbsp honey or fig jam
  • 2 tbsp cornichons or Castelvetrano olives

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the hard cheeses. Slice the Cheddar or Manchego into triangles or small cubes. Note: Uniform shapes make it easier for guests to grab.
  2. Set the soft cheese. Leave the Brie or Camembert whole on the board. Note: This keeps the center from leaking out too early.
  3. Shape the meats. Fold the prosciutto into loose, airy ribbons. Overlap the salami and soppressata rounds in a shingle pattern.
  4. Dry the fruit. Wash and pat the grapes and strawberries dry with a paper towel. Wait until they are completely dry to avoid soggy crackers.
  5. Position the anchors. Place three ramekins in a triangular formation on the board. Fill them with honey, olives, and jam.
  6. Place the cheese blocks. Put the larger cheese pieces in the spaces between the bowls to create a skeleton.
  7. Lay the meat rivers. Wind the salami and prosciutto ribbons between the cheese anchors. Do this until the board looks full.
  8. Add the crunch. Tuck bunches of grapes and piles of crackers into the remaining open spaces.
  9. Fill the holes. Use dried apricots, figs, and raw almonds to plug any remaining gaps where the board is showing.