This post is sponsored by 34 Degrees. All opinions are my own and always will be! Thanks for supporting content that keeps Jojotastic going.
I think we’ve all been there: you don’t want to eat lunch on Thanksgiving day because you’ve gotta save room in your tummy for the main event… but you’re hungry! As a hostess, this is always a challenge for me, one that I solve by laying out a lighter cheese board for my guests to snack on until dinner is served. To make this appetizer truly light, I like to use delicious 34 Degrees crackers. If you’re not familiar with this brand, they are awesome. Basically, 34 Degrees crackers are a lighter, crispier, all-natural version of a cracker and serve as an excellent platform for some of my faaavorite cheeses.
A Light Cheese Board
Ingredients
- 34 Degrees Cracked Pepper Crackers
- 34 Degrees Natural Crackers
- 34 Degrees Rosemary Crackers
- a double Glouchester with onions and chives
- a petite Camembert
- a wine aged sheep’s milk cheese
- Delice de Bourgogne
- fig preserves
- marcona almonds
- seedless grapes
- pear, thinly sliced
- figs
To begin setting my table, I laid out a simple linen runner for a rustic layer and added a tiered serving platter to the center of the table. I wanted my cheese board to be the focus and inspiration for the rest of the tablescape, so we started here!
Next, I chose 3 flavors of the 34 Degrees crackers. There are many savory to sweet choices, so I went with a good mix that I knew would highlight the cheeses really well: Cracked Pepper, Rosemary, and Natural (and I totally snacked on the Toasted Onion crackers while laying out the platter). I love how light and crispy these crackers are! They are wafer-thin and each flavor is really subtle. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you just how satisfying the crunch is when you bite into one!
My local market has an amazing selection of cheeses and often has them in mini sizes. I love this because it means I don’t have to buy a huge piece of any one kind. Opting for a smaller portion of cheese will help you create a light cheese board, especially if you’re serving it on Thanksgiving day. I laid out a double Glouchester with onions and chives, a petite Camembert, a wine aged sheep’s milk cheese, and (my personal favorite) Delice de Bourgogne.
When it comes to cheese boards, I always present lots of options for pairings. I layered on fig preserves, marcona almonds, seedless grapes, slices of pear, and figs. I decided not to include salami or cured meats because I didn’t want my guests to be too full, but you can always add that in if you’d like!
Lastly, sprinkle in a few flowers to match the centerpiece (more on that to come from The Stemmery tomorrow!) and lay out your cheese knives.
If you’re hosting Thanksgiving, or even a dinner party any time, I highly recommend including 34 Degrees crackers in your spread!
Stay tuned for posts about the centerpiece and the rest of the tablescape this week!
Photography by Meghan Klein. Styling by Jojotastic.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of 34 Degrees. The opinions and text are all mine.
