• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Sweet Cayenne
  • ABOUT
    • Work With Me
  • RECIPES
    • All Recipes
    • RECIPES BY CATEGORY
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Condiments
    • Desserts
    • Main Entree
    • Sides
    • Snacks
    • How-To Guides
  • NEWSLETTER
  • CONTACT
  • PHOTOGRAPHY
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • ABOUT
  • RECIPES
  • NEWSLETTER
  • CONTACT
  • PHOTOGRAPHY
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • ABOUT
    • RECIPES
    • NEWSLETTER
    • CONTACT
    • PHOTOGRAPHY
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home > Appetizers

    Styling a Festive Charcuterie Board

    Published: Dec 14, 2019 · Modified: Apr 2, 2020 by Whitney Reist · This post may contain affiliate links |

    This step-by-step picture tutorial for styling a charcuterie board will show you how to build color and flavor into a beautiful and festive display!

    A black iron tray filled with cheese, vegetables and charcuterie.

    Well, my friends, we have reached the end of the 5-Ingredient Fancy Series (there is one more bonus recipe to come!). To wrap up the series with something special, I'm styling all five of the recipes I've shared this week onto a gorgeous charcuterie board - or platter, in this instance! Below you will find step-by-step photos that will walk you through placing the items into a festive display. You can use your favorite board or platter, and I'm sharing some of my favorites below along with some charcuterie and cheese board accessories. The recipes in the 5-Ingredient Fancy series that we will be styling include:

    • Hot Honey Drizzle
    • Christmas Tree Cheese Crackers
    • Warm Olives with Lemon and Rosemary
    • Chipotle Rosemary Roasted Walnuts
    • Italian Marinated Mozzarella Pearls

    Other items I've added to the board include:

    • Bellavitano Merlot Cheese (find at most grocery stores)
    • Sliced Red Pear and Honeycrisp Apple
    • Pistachios
    • Dried Cherries
    • Slice English Cucumber
    • Spicy Italian Sopressata
    • Sliced Prosciutto

    Some boards and accessories I use or would highly recommend include:

    • Iron Feast Platter - used in the photos
    • White ramekins of different sizes - used in photos
    • Antique spoons - similar to what's used in photos
    • Mini pitcher - similar to photos
    • Cheese knives
    • Gabriella platters - I use these when I want a white surface for a platter
    • Wood boards

    [show_shopthepost_widget id="3851495"]

    Step 1 (optional) - if you can find one, place a food-safe leaf on the bottom of the cheeseboard or platter. Figleaves, apple leaves, or fresh green herbs like thyme, rosemary, basil, and parsley are nice to tuck in corners or fan out before placing other items on the board. If you want to protect the surface of your board from oils and such, cut some parchment paper to place the food on top of.

    Step 2: Create anchors with anything that must be served in a vessel. Small orb-shaped foods like olives, mozzarella pearls and dips do best when served in a small bowl. Jam, spreads, and drizzles (oils, vinegars, honey, syrups) need to be put in small pitchers. I like to put these on the board first to serve as anchors for styling everything else around. I put the Marinated Mozzarella Pearls and Warm Olives with Lemon and Rosemary in small white ceramic bowls.

    Step 3: whole cheeses are the second type of anchor you put on the cheeseboard, like wedges of cheese or wheels of brie. Plan to place any type of cheese knife that will be used to slice the cheese next to it during this step.

    Step 4: Place loose items like meats, vegetables, fruits, and nuts in sections around the anchor items. You can roll the meats into little rolls ups if you like, stack and stagger slices like fallen dominoes, or fan fruits and slices of produce out in alternating patterns as you place each item in a section.

    Add the salami and prosciuttto...

    Add Chipotle Roasted Walnuts...

    Add the Christmas Tree Cheese Crackers...

    Add the sliced pear, apple and cucumber...

    Step 5: Complete the display with "tuck-ins" and "scatters." Scatters would be any type of nut, fresh herb, or dried fruit that you can scatter into cracks and crevices on the board or platter. You could also do tiny pieces of wrapped chocolate for a hint of something sweet! "Tuck ins" are crackers or slices of toast that you can squish into the sides of the board or platter or tuck in around the bowls. This part is what makes a board or platter look rustic and overflowing, which I love!

    And that's it, my friends! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. If you make a cheese or charcuterie board this holiday season or any of the recipes from 5-Ingredient Fancy, I would LOVE to see your creation. Please tag me on Instagram with @sweetcayenne5 and use the tag #sweetcayenne or #5ingredientfancy! You can also send me a picture via Facebook or e-mail. I hope all of you have a safe and wonderful Christmas and holiday season!

    Don't miss these recipes!

    • A St. Patrick's day themed snack board with corned beef, sauerkraut, soda bread, and other charcuterie items.
      St. Patrick's Day Grazing Board
    • Bell Pepper Nachos
    • A white bowl filled with Italian marinated mozzarella pearls with a sprig of fresh basil on top.
      Italian Marinated Mozzarella Pearls
    • A Christmas cookie tin filled with Chipotle Rosemary Roasted Walnuts
      Chipotle Rosemary Roasted Walnuts

    Want more?

    Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get exclusive content (like menus, cooking downloads, and more!), blog recaps, and a chance to connect or be featured!

    Affiliate Disclosure

    Many of the links in my posts are affiliate links, which means I can get a small commission for any click or purchases made through the links. I am also an Amazon Associate and I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hello there!

    I'm Whitney, the chef, photographer, dietitian, and blogger-extraordinaire behind Sweet Cayenne. Welcome to my online kitchen!

    About Whitney & Sweet Cayenne

    What's In Season

    • A pink bowl on a cutting board filled with sweet potato lentil curry and rice.
      Sweet Potato Lentil Curry with Coconut and Spinach
    • A cinnamon roll on a white rimmed plate.
      Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls
    • A cinnamon apple cake with two slices cut out on a piece of parchment paper with a navy blue background.
      15+ Healthy Apple Recipes
    • Bell Pepper Nachos
    • An up-close shot of a white bowl of Southern-style pasta e Fagioli.
      Southern-Style Pasta e Fagioli
    • Two Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders on a blue ceramic plate with a baking dish of sliders and blue napkin in the background.
      Kentucky Hot Brown Sliders

    Free cookbook and menu planners!

    Subscribe to my weekly newsletter & receive a free e-cookbook of my 25 best recipes along with menu planning sheets!

    Cozy Cooking:

    A pink bowl on a cutting board filled with sweet potato lentil curry and rice.

    Sweet Potato Lentil Curry with Coconut and Spinach

    An overhead shot of a white soup ramekin filled with ribolita soup and topped with crusty bread on black background.

    Instant Pot + Slow Cooker Ribolita (Italian Bread Soup)

    A gray plate of red beans and rice with a gingham dish towel and a glass of water on the side.

    Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice

    An overhead shot of a white bowl filled with turkey and drop biscuit dumplings.

    Turkey and Drop Biscuit Dumplings (Instant Pot or Stovetop)

    A white bowl of soup filled with posole verde and garnished with avocado and cilantro.

    Instant Pot Chicken Posole Verde

    An overhead shot of a wicker charger with parchment paper and Mango Mojo Chicken Tacos with a side of mojo sauce and avocado ranch on the side.

    Mango Mojo Chicken Tacos

    Travel Here Next:

    • The product wall of skincare items at Lemon Laine Oil Bar in Nashville, TN.
      Nashville Finds: Lemon Laine Oil Bar
    • A girl standing on a beach in Positano, Italy.
      Positano, Italy: Budget-Friendly Travel Guide
    • A photo of Civita di Bagnoregio in Italy
      The Best Tuscan Road Trip Itinerary + Tips on Driving in Italy
    • A traveling foodie's guide to the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy - including what to taste in Parma, Modena, and Bologna! European travel guide and itinerary.
      A Foodie's Guide to Emilia-Romagna, Italy

    Cooking Guides

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Photography Services

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 SweetCayenne