Waterfall Edge Grazing Board (Printer View)

Abundant grazing board with cheeses, fruits, nuts, and cured meats stacked to cascade over the edge.

# What you'll need:

→ Cheeses

01 - 5.3 oz Brie, sliced
02 - 5.3 oz Aged Cheddar, cubed
03 - 3.5 oz Blue cheese, crumbled
04 - 3.5 oz Goat cheese, log, sliced

→ Cured Meats

05 - 3.5 oz Prosciutto
06 - 3.5 oz Salami, sliced

→ Fresh Fruits

07 - 1 cup red grapes, cut into small clusters
08 - 1 cup strawberries, halved
09 - ½ cup blueberries
10 - 1 pear, thinly sliced

→ Dried Fruits & Nuts

11 - ½ cup dried apricots
12 - ½ cup dried figs, halved
13 - ⅓ cup almonds
14 - ⅓ cup walnuts

→ Crackers & Bread

15 - 1 baguette, sliced and toasted
16 - 5.3 oz assorted crackers

→ Accompaniments

17 - ¼ cup honey
18 - ¼ cup fig jam
19 - ¼ cup mixed olives
20 - Fresh rosemary and thyme for garnish

# Method:

01 - Choose a large wooden or marble board and position it near the edge of the serving surface, ensuring space for ingredients to cascade over.
02 - Layer sliced and cubed cheeses in overlapping sections near the board’s edge, allowing pieces to extend beyond the boundary.
03 - Place prosciutto and salami in gentle folds adjacent to cheeses, draping some slices toward the table to enhance the waterfall effect.
04 - Distribute clusters of grapes, strawberry halves, blueberries, and pear slices, positioning some to spill off the board naturally.
05 - Tuck dried apricots and figs among other ingredients; sprinkle almonds and walnuts along the board and onto the surface below.
06 - Arrange toasted baguette slices and crackers both vertically and horizontally, creating stacks and leaning pieces over the edge for visual drama.
07 - Set small bowls or ramekins of honey, fig jam, and olives on the board; allow drips or scattered olives to extend beyond the edge.
08 - Decorate with fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs to add color and fragrance.
09 - Present immediately and invite guests to enjoy both the board and cascading elements on the adjacent surface.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It transforms a simple board into an actual conversation starter that makes people feel welcomed before they even eat.
  • Everything stays fresh and beautiful because you're layering rather than piling, and the drama does the decorating work for you.
  • You can build it in your pajamas 30 minutes before guests arrive and still look like you spent all day planning.
02 -
  • Assemble everything at room temperature or the cheeses will be too firm to layer gracefully, and the meats will crack instead of drape.
  • Never slice fruit more than 15 minutes before serving unless you want oxidation and weeping—do it right before the final garnish step.
  • The parchment paper under the table isn't just for cleanup; it's a permission slip to embrace the intentional chaos and stop worrying about things rolling.
03 -
  • Use a wooden board with natural grain and patina because the food looks more intentional against the warm, lived-in surface than it does on white marble or slate.
  • Invest in a quality cheese knife set because fighting with cheese or tearing prosciutto in front of guests is the opposite of the calm elegance this board is meant to convey.
  • If something rolls onto the table during service, simply place it back on the board or encourage the guest to eat it from where it landed—that's the whole point of this theatrical approach.
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