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How to Make a Seasonal Summer Harvest Cheese Board

Easy Party Appetizers: Summer Harvest Cheese Board from @cydconverse

I’m pretty sure that a great cheese board makes the perfect party appetizer no matter the occasion. I’m convinced of it, in fact. In full disclosure, I actually think a cheese board makes the perfectly easy dinner, too! Just give me all the cheese, please. This cheese board is sort of an ode to late summer and the fruits and veggies spilling out of gardens and farmer’s market bins right now. 

Easy Party Appetizers: Summer Harvest Cheese Board from @cydconverse

I make cheese boards a lot. They’re one of my default party appetizers, in fact. I get asked a lot by family and friends how I make them look so good, so I thought I would share a few tips today! It’s so much easier than you might think. Spoiler: Basically you just shove everything on there. Scroll through the photos below to see!

How to Make a Cheese Board

Easy Party Appetizers: Summer Harvest Cheese Board from @cydconverse

Easy Party Appetizers: Summer Harvest Cheese Board from @cydconverse

When building a cheese board, I like to start with at least 3 kinds of cheese, depending on the size of my crowd. I start by placing any blocks or wedges of cheese on a large board and then begin layering in little piles of my other elements.

Easy Party Appetizers: Summer Harvest Cheese Board from @cydconverse

Easy Party Appetizers: Summer Harvest Cheese Board from @cydconverse

Easy Party Appetizers: Summer Harvest Cheese Board from @cydconverse

The trick to making a cheese board look amazing is to just pack it full. Make small piles of your various cheeses, nuts and fruits and keep layering and filling in until you have something really full and delicious looking. The ingredients should touch one another and spill into each other so they look abundant.

Easy Party Appetizers: Summer Harvest Cheese Board from @cydconverse

Easy Party Appetizers: Summer Harvest Cheese Board from @cydconverse

Easy Party Appetizers: Summer Harvest Cheese Board from @cydconverse

For a summer cheese board, I really like to make the most of seasonal produce. Slice up those cucumbers you have in excess from the garden. Add in chunks of stone fruit or local tomatoes. You always want something tart or brined like olives or pickles! A few kinds of nuts are also a requirement.

Easy Party Appetizers: Summer Harvest Cheese Board from @cydconverse

Easy Party Appetizers: Summer Harvest Cheese Board from @cydconverse

Dried fruit is always great on a cheese board – this time of year I love apricots! A few crackers or wedges of pita bread are always a nice idea. You can add jams or honey to your cheese board, too, just think about seasonal flavors to really make the most of the summer harvest. 

Easy Party Appetizers: Summer Harvest Cheese Board from @cydconverse

With this cheese board I used local plums, peaches and cucumbers and a combination of blue, brie and colby jack cheeses. Cashews, pistashios, almonds are always favorites in the nut department! Then crackers, dried apricots and olives round it all out. Cheese boards do not need to be overly complicated or expensive to be really really pretty and a guaranteed crowd pleaser!

Easy Party Appetizers: Summer Harvest Cheese Board from @cydconverse

Need More Cheese Board Ideas?

Easy Party Appetizers: Summer Harvest Cheese Board from @cydconverse

How to Make an Easy Cheese Board

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Create an easy cheese board as a quick party appetizer or an easy weeknight dinner idea using seasonal summer produce and local ingredients!

Ingredients

  • 2 - 3 varieties of cheese
  • 2 - 3 fresh fruits, sliced
  • 1 - 2 dried fruits
  • 1 - 2 fresh veggies, sliced
  • 2 - 3 varieties of nuts
  • 1 - 2 varieties of olives or pickles
  • 1 - 2 cracker or bread options

Instructions

  1. Begin with a large wooden board or platter, placing any blocks or wedges of cheeses on either end
  2. Add in each ingredient incrementally in small piles across the board, layering and adding until the board is packed and full
  3. Avoid leaving spaces between the various components - allowing them to spill into each other creates the full look that is so visually appealing
  4. Fill the board right out to nearly the very edge in both directions and keep adding until all of the ingredients are used up
  5. Serve right away or cover and refrigerate for up to a few hours
[Photos by Alice G. Patterson for The Sweetest Occasion.]

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Kara

Tuesday 27th of August 2019

Such a beautiful spread! I could actually go for this for lunch today, it all looks so tasty!

Cyd Converse

Wednesday 28th of August 2019

Hahaha I totally agree - thanks, Kara!

Andrea Thueson

Tuesday 27th of August 2019

I am a big-time sucker for cheese! These cheese board ideas are so amazing - thank you for putting this together!

Cyd Converse

Wednesday 28th of August 2019

Thank you, Andrea! xo

Katerina @ diethood .com

Tuesday 27th of August 2019

YUM!! This looks faaantastic!!

Cyd Converse

Wednesday 28th of August 2019

Thanks so much, Katerina! You can't go wrong with cheese!

Jen

Tuesday 27th of August 2019

We love doing appetizer dinners on Fridays. Such a great way for the family to come together and catch up on the week. Loved all your suggestions on what to add to the board.

Cyd Converse

Wednesday 28th of August 2019

Appetizer Fridays sound amazing! We do a lot of our parties appetizer-only, because it just feels so much more casual and opens the room for conversation.

Eden

Tuesday 27th of August 2019

Oh how I LOVE a cheese board!! This is gorgeous and gave me so much inspiration for making my own. Thank you for sharing!!

Cyd Converse

Wednesday 28th of August 2019

Cheese for life, friend! xoxo

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