Housewarming Open House Spread (Printable)

A plentiful assortment of cheeses, crackers, fruits, nuts, and fresh garnishes ideal for casual entertaining.

# Required Ingredients:

→ Cheeses

01 - 9 oz sharp Cheddar, cut into blocks
02 - 9 oz creamy Brie, cut into wedges
03 - 7 oz Manchego, sliced
04 - 7 oz blue cheese, crumbled or in blocks
05 - 7 oz smoked Gouda, cubed

→ Crackers & Breads

06 - 12 oz assorted crackers
07 - 1 baguette, sliced thinly
08 - 5 oz breadsticks

→ Fresh & Dried Fruit

09 - 1 cup red grapes, washed and separated into small clusters
10 - 1 cup green grapes, washed and separated
11 - 2 apples, sliced and tossed with lemon juice
12 - ½ cup dried apricots
13 - ½ cup dried figs

→ Nuts & Condiments

14 - 1 cup roasted almonds
15 - 1 cup walnuts
16 - ½ cup honey
17 - ½ cup fig or apricot jam
18 - ⅓ cup whole grain mustard

→ Vegetables & Garnishes

19 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes
20 - 1 cup baby carrots
21 - Fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme) for garnish

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Place cheese blocks and wedges evenly spaced on a large serving board or platter for easy access.
02 - Fill spaces between cheeses with assorted crackers and thinly sliced baguette.
03 - Nestle clusters of grapes, apple slices, and dried fruits around the board to create visual appeal.
04 - Arrange small bowls or piles of roasted almonds, walnuts, honey, fig or apricot jam, and whole grain mustard.
05 - Place cherry tomatoes and baby carrots in gaps; garnish with sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme.
06 - Set out cheese knives, spreaders, toothpicks, or cocktail forks to facilitate self-service.
07 - Monitor the spread during the event and replenish items as needed to ensure abundance.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • You can prepare everything in thirty minutes, leaving you free to actually enjoy your guests instead of cooking
  • There's something for every palate—sharp, creamy, bold—which means no one feels left out
  • The board does the talking for you; guests serve themselves and linger longer, creating natural conversation
  • It scales beautifully from twelve guests to twenty, so you're never scrambling with portions
02 -
  • Apples brown fast—slice them last and toss with lemon juice immediately. I once arranged them thirty minutes early and spent the party watching them oxidize.
  • A wooden board with some personality beats a sterile platter every time. Wood is forgiving and warm, and it photographs beautifully when your guests are inevitably sharing pictures.
  • Guests need actual serving tools—cheese knives, spreaders, forks. Without them, they feel awkward and take less than they want. Making it easy is an act of hospitality.
03 -
  • Prep everything the day before except slicing apples and arranging—then you're just assembling on the day of, which takes minutes
  • Use odd numbers when placing similar items (three piles of nuts, five cheese blocks) because it feels more organic and balanced than even arrangements
  • Keep cheese knives separate for each cheese so flavors don't bleed into each other; guests and your fellow entertainers will appreciate this detail
  • If the board sits for more than an hour, keep a damp cloth nearby to refresh crackers and bread that might dry out
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