How to properly put together an aperitif board?

Dethroning crisps, the aperitif board is now a more enjoyable way to treat yourself. Enhanced with different flavours, it is an original way to liven up drinks with friends. Online charcuterie specialist Directos.eu gives you some tips for putting together a great aperitif board.

Choosing the board and the foods you need for your aperitif

To successfully put together your aperitif board, you need to set up the board and prepare the ingredients. Saucisson has pride of place: discover how to choose your saucisson well to put together a successful board.

Set up your board

Choosing the right board is essential for putting together your aperitif board well. For an attractive result, it is recommended to choose a wooden board, or a slate or marble one. Also adapt the size of the board to the number of guests at your aperitif. If you have a small gathering, one board will be enough to lay out your different items. On the other hand, if you have a lot of guests, plan for several boards. This will give you more space to arrange the nibbles harmoniously.

The shape of the board will depend on what you're serving. While a rectangular shape is generally preferred for its practicality, a round board can also work well. Finally, plan for small bowls or dishes to hold spreads, a bread basket, serving knives and crackers.

Arrange the foods needed for a great aperitif board

Once you've chosen your board, plan the essential foods for putting together your aperitif. On your board, you can arrange:

• charcuterie,
• crackers,
• cheese,
• fresh fruit,
• dried fruit and nuts,
• bread and other savoury biscuits.

To make your aperitif board look appetising, remember to decorate it. To garnish your board, think about arranging lettuce leaves, cherry tomatoes or crunchy vegetables. Also plan for gherkins, small pickled onions or olives.

As for tableware, don't forget small spoons, table knives, plates and napkins. You can also place wooden picks directly on your boards so your guests can help themselves without getting their fingers messy.

Put together your aperitif board

Once you've prepared the board and the food for your aperitif, you can now put together this deliciously tasty dish.

Set out dishes, crackers and cheeses on your aperitif board

Start by positioning the dishes on your board. They take up a lot of space on a board. Among other things, they hold olives or raisins and make it easier to position the other ingredients. When positioning the dishes first, make sure you achieve a visually balanced arrangement of the different elements.

Then place the cheeses, starting with those you can't cut. Next come the cheeses cut into different sizes and shapes to create visual harmony on the board. As you know, there's no aperitif without bread or crackers. Put seeded bread, herb bread or dried-fruit bread on the board, along with savoury biscuits like breadsticks. Ideally, place these ingredients around the edges of the board so they're easy to reach.

Arrange the charcuterie, fruit and accessories to complete your aperitif

Arrange your charcuterie in different shapes. For example, you can place the ham in small rolls, and arrange slices of rosette sausage or salami in rosettes. If you want to add fresh fruit, such as grapes, you can scatter them here and there among the other ingredients. Make pineapple cubes, or melon balls, for example. You can also offer your guests dried fruit such as peanuts, almonds or prunes. You can then choose to arrange them in a small bowl or scatter them over your aperitif board.

For extra freshness, and to preserve the flavours, you can put together your aperitif board in advance and keep it chilled in a refrigerated spot. Remember to cover the board with cling film or aluminium foil to preserve the taste of the products.

Some ideas for beautiful aperitif boards to enjoy

To put together a great aperitif board, you can vary the themes according to your diet, the season or the region. The classic aperitif board, generally mixed, is made up of charcuterie and cheeses. You can add a pot of rillettes, cured ham, slices of chorizo and various cow's milk cheeses, for example.

The vegetarian aperitif board, meanwhile, is perfectly suited to the summer season. It's a composition of raw vegetables, several sauces, and spreads such as tapenade. You can add fruit such as raspberries, strawberries and cubes of melon or watermelon.