What to Put on a Fruit and Cheese Platter for Your Next Event

A fruit and cheese platter is always a crowd favorite — it’s beautiful, while also sweet and savory. Whether you’re hosting brunch, shower, or a holiday gathering, here are some tips on how to make sure your next charcuterie board is an upgraded fruit and cheese platter!

I (Kelly) get asked a lot, how do you know what to buy? How do you know what pairs well with one another? While these might seem like complex questions, charcuterie (when you break it down) is rather simple. There is a reason why toddlers all the way to senior adults love to eat a charcuterie board aka a fruit and cheese platter!

First thing is first, the star of the show on the fruit and cheese platter: cheese!

All the cheese lovers say, amen! There are a variety of cheeses I enjoy putting on my boards to enjoy for myself or for my clients. I like offering a mix of sweet, spicy, and basic. Why basic you might ask? Several reasons-first it is budget conscious, it is recognizable to many, and basic still tastes good! Cheddar, colby jack, pepperjack, and swiss are all good examples of these. These cheeses can be sliced or cubed for different presentation.

When I think of sweet cheeses I think of goat cheese with blueberry and vanilla or an apricot wensleydale cheese with white chocolate chips. Fancy right? These are sweet, fruity, and delicious! Goat cheese alone has a specific smell and taste but paired with fruit and it’s a game changer. I always tell clients whom take my charcuterie classes to at least try goat cheese with the fruit added to see if they like it, and believe it or not, most do!

Savory cheeses are fun to put on a board because you can have different types of spices woven throughout the board. Boursin is the gold standard-its creamy, garlicy, and looks nice on a board. Roasted garlic with tomato basil mozzarella or a garden vegetable with sweet basil mozz is also fun. I like these because they are red and green and add color throughout the board. Dill Havarti is also a common one I have on my boards because it is semi-soft, creamy, and I like how the dill is sprinkled in throughout the cheese. When selecting cheeses for my boards I think of taste AND presentation.

There are some pretty bold flavors out there regarding cheese. Some clients specifically request blue cheese or gorgonzola, but I will be honest that I do not put these cheese often on my boards. This leads me to my point that with charcuterie there are no rules! I personally do not care for these bold, strong scented, and taste of these cheeses, therefore I omit them. I want you to put cheeses on your fruit and cheese platter that fit you and what you and your friends tastes are!

Don’t forget the fruit!

Fruits are fun because they can be seasonal! Pears, apples with caramel dip paired with pomegranate seeds are lovely for fall time. Spring and summer are prime seasons for all the berries! Summer/Spring are nice as well because these times of year fruit is pretty reasonably priced. I love sprinkling blueberries and blackberries within a board for not only the color but the texture as well.

Citrus fruits also jazz up a board especially if you are doing a brunch board. I typically half my oranges and grapefruits and display one half and cut the other half into slices for people to enjoy off the board. Citrus fruits add some extra elegance to your fruit and cheese platter because you can use them as decorative accents. Think of halved lemons and limes. These fruits are small which is nice as they will not take up a lot of real estate on your board but really make a statement. I also enjoy adding kiwi to my boards. If you have taken one of my charcuterie classes then you know how to cut a kiwi decoratively. If not, you can google it to find a view probably pretty easily!

Do not forget the finishing touches on your board! Honey is always a great sweet touch. Candied almonds or nuts can add another texture to the board as well. I also like to add herbs like rosemary at the very end. The green herbs sprinkled throughout a board really ups your cheese game. It also smells nicely as well so double bonus!

As a charcuterie board business owner, I enjoy getting to create boards for my clients who would rather have the professional to do it! Which I also understand as well and honored to get the opportunity to create something for your special event. If you are in hostess mode and not wanting to fiddle with a board, that is understandable-you know where to find Boards by Kelly!

Lastly, don’t forget to make it your own as I have mentioned earlier! Have fun with it! Try a new cheese. Who knows, it might be your new favorite cheese! As a perfectionist I am telling myself this as well- the board doesn’t have to be perfect. Those whom you are making a board for or sharing it with is what matters the most!