A sponsored post for Woolworths
Do you have a signature Christmas dish or plate that you bring along to the endless soirees we all have coming up over the next few weeks? It might be those cute Christmas watermelon trees, your home made quiches or sausage rolls, or maybe like me, you get asked to put together a cheese platter!
My Mum was the original hero of the antipasto platter back in the late 80’s and early 90’s – renowned for her meats and cheeses and crackers – it’s pretty much all my favourite things to eat in one place! And things aren’t much different for my girls – if they could eat this every day (olives, salami, soft cheese, haloumi they would be very happy indeed).
I thought I would share how I make my platters and show how it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to do it either. Woolworths has some great options for building festive platters in an affordable way using their own Woolworths brands especially in the deli and cheese sections.
You might have seen on Pinterest and at any fancy function or wedding on Instagram or online this year that platters have become THE party essential. Long grazing platters filled with ALL OF THE THINGS have taken over – there are platters that run the whole dining table long and spread out from cheeses and meats to nuts, dried fruits, fresh fruits and even sweets. The platter has grown up and it’s taken over real estate on any dining room table becoming the main focus.
Think about making a platter your entrée or main attraction this Christmas using these top tips for building the perfect festive platter this Christmas.
Abundance is Key
When it comes to these kinds of platters MORE IS MORE IS MORE! It’s about building up different layers and textures, food groups and colours. Think outside the traditional cold meats or seafoods or antipasto ingredients to dried fruits and nuts, fresh fruits, herbs that will entice your sight, smell and taste all together. Think about extending the food off the platter and onto the table if you can, spilling out (just use baking paper underneath) to make it even more abundant and decadent.
Layer and Build as you go
Start by placing the main pieces on the board and spread them out (cut the cheese wheels in half) and then add in meats, crackers, fruit as you go. It’s like painting…create as you see fit and be as creative as you can. You can add layers in with plates on top of small bowls for different heights, think vertically with meats and cheeses that you can stand up and stand your crackers up too. Add in as much greenery as you can using herbs, or leaves from the garden and think of flowers too! Cut up fruit will also provide extra colours and textures and flavours.
You can’t make a mistake
Remember with this stuff that there is no right or wrong: much like creating a bouquet of flowers or arranging in a vase have a go and if it doesn’t look right, move it. There’s no right or wrong with this stuff be as creative as you like and just keep filling in the spaces and it will look amazing. Promise!
Here’s how I made my festive platter.
1. Start with your board or platter (big or small think about using chopping boards or even the table with baking paper on it). As I said, you can spill the ingredients down off the sides for added and don’t forget to add in bowls for olive pips or cherry seeds.
2. Get all your ingredients out on the bench and cut up ready to go. I used the following from Woolies:
Woolworths Sicilian Olives Lemon & Thyme 180 grams $3.50
Woolworths Green Olives filled with Fetta 180 grams $3.50
Woolworths semi dried tomatoes with herbs 180 grams $3.50
Woolworths green olives 180 grams $3.50
Woolworths Camembert Cheese 125 grams $3.00
Woolworths Extra tasty cheese 250 grams $4.00
Woolworths Triple Cream Brie 125 grams $3.50
Woolworths sliced swiss cheese 200 grams $4.50
Woolworths Cherry Bocconcini 200 grams $4.00
Woolworths Danish Style Fetta 200 grams $4.00
Woolworths Festive Pretzels 500 grams $5.00
Woolworths Rosemary crackers 170 grams $2.00
Woolworths Puff Pastry Festive Savoury Biscuits 150 grams $5.00
Woolworths Crunchy Natural Almonds 400 grams $9.00
Woolworths Select Apricots 200 grams $4.00
Cherries, blueberries, strawberries, basil, cherry tomatoes.
3. Cut the cheeses, fruits, roll the meats before you start so you are ready to go when you construct and have it all placed there in front of you to choose from. Otherwise you will forget stuff you have in the fridge….promise this will happen!
4. Then Build away!
Your platter will be the talk of the party PLUS it will feed a LOT of people. And you know what else? It’s fun! Much like an artist creating a painting, I always see platter building like this too…no right way and endless opportunities to be creative!
You can create sweet ones, fruit ones….go for it!
And make sure you check out the full range of options at Woolworths this Christmas. It really makes a difference to the price if you look out for the green seal of approval – it’s their range that offers added value.
Hope you guys have fun with this…best bit is you get to eat it all at the end!
Yum! That looks so good! I love making platters and will be eating like this as much as possible all summer long x
Thanks Chrissy – me too! I could eat like this every day!
my type of rustic platter with plenty of variety thanks beth!
love the long format too instead of round
I always look at ina garten’s tables of food! I love her work!
abundance is always beautiful!
much love mxx
This beautiful board is made by my friend Mr Munro which makes it all the more special x
You’re speaking to my very heart here! Would happily platter up for dinner every night!
And you do them so well my friend x
Cannot agree more with the more is more is more thing! ALL OF THE FOOD! Could put my face directly in those Sicilian olives rn
All of these olives were very good – and cheap as chips!
Hello there! That platter is gorgeous and you did a great job for Woolies. I think the thing for me was that there was a bit of inspiration for Christmas even if mine will be on a smaller scale for a smaller party.
However…I may be able to put this together quite easily due to being a working mum (affordability) but I am aware that times are quite tough out there at the moment. I think maybe some of your readers could not put this platter together even on a smaller scale when they have Christmas presents for their children to buy.
Can Woolworths help you put together an affordable platter? Say 20 to 40 bucks but still stylish and on a smaller scale for inspiration. It just struck me looking at that beautiful platter how out of reach and out of reality it really is for some people who can access your blog. Christmas is so stressful financially for some families. Hate to be a bore … just playing on my mind… Tara
No it’s a great point Tara! This platter was HUGE and would feed a big group of people. With the cheeses there you can definitely pull together a cheese platter for under $20 – Woolies were keen to show this. All the cheeses in this add to $20 and with some crackers and fruit you could do under $30…hope that helps. Just downsize the amounts as you need to.