Housewarming Open House Spread (Print Version)

An abundant assortment of cheeses, crackers, fruits, nuts, and accompaniments for effortless host gatherings.

# What You Need:

→ Cheeses

01 - 9 oz sharp Cheddar, cut into blocks
02 - 9 oz creamy Brie, cut into wedges
03 - 7 oz Manchego, sliced
04 - 7 oz blue cheese, crumbled or in blocks
05 - 7 oz smoked Gouda, cubed

→ Crackers & Breads

06 - 12 oz assorted crackers
07 - 1 baguette, sliced thinly
08 - 5 oz breadsticks

→ Fresh & Dried Fruit

09 - 1 cup red grapes, washed and separated into small clusters
10 - 1 cup green grapes, washed and separated
11 - 2 apples, sliced and tossed with lemon juice
12 - ½ cup dried apricots
13 - ½ cup dried figs

→ Nuts & Condiments

14 - 1 cup roasted almonds
15 - 1 cup walnuts
16 - ½ cup honey
17 - ½ cup fig or apricot jam
18 - ⅓ cup whole grain mustard

→ Vegetables & Garnishes

19 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes
20 - 1 cup baby carrots
21 - Fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs

# How To Make:

01 - Place cheese blocks and wedges evenly on a large serving board for easy access.
02 - Fill spaces between cheeses with assorted crackers, baguette slices, and breadsticks.
03 - Nestle grape clusters, sliced apples, dried apricots, and figs around the board.
04 - Arrange roasted almonds, walnuts, honey, fig or apricot jam, and whole grain mustard in small bowls or piles.
05 - Fill remaining gaps with cherry tomatoes and baby carrots for color and freshness.
06 - Decorate the spread with sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme.
07 - Set out cheese knives, spreaders, toothpicks, and cocktail forks for guest convenience.
08 - Top up items as needed during the event to keep the spread abundant.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks absolutely stunning with minimal effort—your guests will think you spent hours in the kitchen when really you just arranged beautiful ingredients
  • Everyone finds something they love because there's enough variety for adventurous tastes and reliable classics
  • It's the kind of spread that lets guests serve themselves, which means you actually get to enjoy the party instead of playing server all night
02 -
  • Remove cheese from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before guests arrive—cold cheese tastes like nothing, but room temperature cheese reveals its full personality and spreads beautifully on crackers
  • Slice the baguette right before people arrive; if you do it earlier, it goes hard and loses that crispy-tender contrast that makes it special
03 -
  • Buy your cheese and crackers a day or two early, but assemble the board no more than 2 hours before guests arrive—everything tastes fresher this way, and things won't start sliding around or getting warm and sweaty
  • The real secret is overestimating how much you need; a board that looks abundant is the one people remember, and any leftovers make a lovely lunch the next day
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