Ingredients:

  • 200g (7 oz) Triple-Cream Brie or Camembert
  • 150g (5 oz) Aged Sharp Cheddar or Manchego
  • 100g (3.5 oz) Parmigiano-Reggiano or Aged Gouda
  • 100g (3.5 oz) Gorgonzola Dolce or Stilton
  • 2 medium Honeycrisp apples, thinly sliced
  • 1 large Bosc pear, sliced
  • 150g (1 cup) fresh figs, halved
  • 100g (¾ cup) fresh blackberries or pomegranate arils
  • 100g (3.5 oz) Prosciutto di Parma, ribboned
  • 100g (3.5 oz) Salami Milano, folded
  • 100g (¾ cup) Marcona almonds or candied walnuts
  • 50g (¼ cup) Castelvetrano olives
  • 120ml (½ cup) local honey
  • 120ml (½ cup) fig jam or spiced cranberry sauce
  • 150g assorted crackers (water crackers, fig & olive crisps)
  • Fresh rosemary sprigs and sage leaves for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Place anchors: Start by positioning the ramekins filled with honey and fig jam on the board. Place the largest cheese (Brie) slightly off-center to create an asymmetrical focal point.
  2. Build the 'S-Curve': Fold the salami into quarters and ribbon the prosciutto to create a 'meat river' that flows across the board, guiding the eye and separating different flavor profiles.
  3. Add secondary cheeses and produce: Slice the remaining cheeses and fan them out. Arrange sliced apples, pears, and figs in clusters near the cheeses they pair best with (e.g., pears near Gorgonzola).
  4. Fill voids and garnish: Tuck crackers and nuts into any remaining open spaces. Use color blocking by placing bright pomegranate arils or blackberries next to lighter cheeses. Finish by tucking in fresh rosemary and sage for aromatic VOC release.