The days of chips and onion dip are long behind us (yawn!). Grazing platters are the way to go, so we teamed with Barrys Bay Cheese to show you how to pull together the ultimate party platter.

Platters offer something for everyone and most importantly show off your fab presentation skills! Everything can be prepared ahead, leaving you free to greet your guests. People eat with their eyes, so spread everything across your board and add plenty of pops of colour.

Start with your heroes The stars of any good platter will take up a decent chunk of space and be the most coveted. It’s safe to assume that cheese will be snapped up, so be sure to get a few decent-sized blocks. Place the cheese throughout the board so the goodness can be reached from any angle. Meat is something else that will be in demand and may take more prep time than cheese. Sliced meats are an easy finger food, and if you want to be a little fancy try rolling and stacking them. Smoked salmon, garlic prawns or marinated mussels are a great addition, bringing some different flavour profiles and textures, and will satisfy all the seafood lovers. Bread is another hero piece that will take up some space – try a baguette or nice sourdough. Slice it up so it’s ready to go and don’t be afraid to have additional boards for some overspill.

Dips are key If you’re anything like us, condiments are fundamental to any good dish, and dips or sauces will not only add variation but create some complementary flavours and tasty food combinations. Sorry but no Kiwi Onion Dip allowed for this one – try different varieties of hummus, and we’ve never met a pesto we don’t love so that’s a winner, too. Babaganoush and Greek yoghurt will bring some zest, and don’t forget about crowd favourite guacamole. If you’re using store-bought dips, be sure to transfer them to a nice ramiken, and if you really want to impress, garnish with some pine nuts, a sprinkle of seeds or whatever takes your fancy. Chutneys and jams will be a fabulous addition – a sweet jam will bring out the deliciousness of a scrumptious blue cheese. Yum!

Adding some balance Texture is crucial, so you will need an assortment of bits that guests can scoop everything up with. Crackers will be the staple so be sure to have a variety – some sweet and some savoury. Grazing is great and creates less mess so add some nuts, olives (make sure to have a place for the stones), fruits, stuffed peppers, chocolates, honeycomb and anything else your food dreams are made of. Think about colours when pulling your platter together. Put a dark bread next to some blueberries and tomatoes – the red will really pop!

Leave no space Don’t be afraid to have multiple boards all jam-packed with heavenly eats. Keep in mind dietary requirements, too – you may want to create a separate platter that is strictly vegan or gluten-free. For a finishing touch, sprinkle some goji berries or seeds (these will fill the gaps) and garnish with some flowers, herbs, plants or broken coconut shells – these will bring everything to life.

The drinks There will be a lot of flavours going on but safe bets include a hoppy IPA or a rosé.

Sweet Cheeses

Cheese is the star of every platter and the good folks at Barrys Bay Cheese know how to create Insta-worthy cheeses with a full flavour profile. We can confidently confirm that they’re super tasty!

Aged Gouda (#4) won a gold medal at the 2019 Cheese Awards and is a Dutch-style semi-hard full-flavoured cheese with a bold fruit salad flavour and a hint of nuttiness. With time it gets a little drier and develops cheese crystals – good taste comes with age!

Peppered Havarti (#12) is another award-winning cheese. It took home the champion flavoured cheese at the 2019 Cheese Awards. This Danish semi-soft cheese is smooth, creamy and coated in cracked peppercorns for a hot peppery bite! Pair the Peppered Havarti with a hearty red wine or beer.

The Christmas Vintage Cheddar (#14) won a bronze medal at the 2018 NZ Cheese Awards and is a mature, bold cheddar with a sharp flavour that offers a mellow aftertaste. There’s savoury, creamy and rich notes, slightly nutty and sweet. The cheese is dipped in bright red wax and labelled with a festive Christmas design, which makes it a beautiful centrepiece for a festive platter.

Peninsula Blue (#19) is a rich sharp blue cheese made with Roquefort culture and is full of character. It gets fudgy sweet and fruitier with age, and has a creamy
but slightly crumbly texture. This flavour pairs well with honey, quince jelly and sweet drinks such as a riesling or port.

barrysbaycheese.co.nz