Grazing Table
We don’t know about you, but these days we’re not heading to the parties for the drinks. We drag ourselves out of the house after a long day of work to be social butterflies for one very important reason: the food.
But there’s one thing specifically that makes our hearts aflutter when we walk through the door at a social event. They make our hearts race, our knees weak and our mouth salivate. What is it? It’s grazing tables, of course!
Those cold cuts presented with loving care, those wheels of cheese that we all fantasize about eating all by ourselves, that fresh fruit that makes us feel better about all the cheese and cold cuts that we’ve just put away. A good grazing table is one of life’s greatest joys. And that, dear friends, is why we’ve decided that grazing tables are our product of the month this month here at Peaches Fresh Food.
SO how do you create a grazing masterpiece for your next party or event? With a focus on fresh, quality and local produce, you can ensure your guests will walk away dreaming about that soft, creamy Margaret River Brie on a crisp water cracker, praying they get invited to the next one. Here are our top tips to create the perfect grazing table.
Fresh is Best
No one likes a soggy grape or a stale cracker. The great thing about grazing tables is that your cheeses and meats will be fine to pick up a few days in advance, but make sure your breads, fruits and veg are as fresh as can be. Don’t skimp on quality either! There’s some incredible local produce coming out of Western Australia, like Blue Cow cheese, Swan Valley Honeycomb and Table Top Grapes that will really make your table memorable, and also aid in telling a story about our beautiful state and all that it has to offer.
Keep it Balanced
We realise that the first thing anyone will go for on a grazing plate are the cheeses or the meats, but it’s important to include fresh elements to balance out the indulgent, heavier foods. Try including fresh fruit like grapes, cherries, figs and cherry tomatoes or vegetable sticks like carrot, capsicum and cucumber. Your veggies will also double as a vehicle for inhaling a selection of dips like hummus, tzatziki or baba ganoush. Carbs are a must, and will go quick with all the goodies you’ve got on your board, so don’t skimp on the crackers, crostini or fresh bread. You could even liven it up with some fresh meats like chicken and haloumi skewers or smoked salmon! Don’t forget your antipasto, including olives, artichokes and sun dried tomatoes. And don’t forget your dried fruit like apricots and raisins, and while you’re at it, throw in some good quality chocolate or honeycomb for good measure.
Create Dimension
But enough about what goes on the table (or board, or plate), let’s have a look at how you want your final product to look. Grazing tables are very ‘on trend’ at the moment so you’ll find thousands of examples on Pinterest and Instagram of how to set one out. If you’re looking to create an Instagram worthy grazing table, try adding dimension with different levels depending on your table. Against a wall, try creating a higher level at the back so everything is in full view and easy access, or with a circular table, make sure the height is in the centre and tiers out toward the edge. There’s also no need to have your table looking perfectly put together. So tear, rather than cut, or scatter things around at a few different places over the table so everyone can easily reach. Fill in any gaps with a little bunch of grapes or some extra crackers and you’ll be sure to have a grazing table that dreams are made of.
For a one stop shop for everything you’ll need putting a grazing table together, head down to Peaches Fresh Food where we have loads of fresh, local produce that will ensure you have the tastiest and prettiest table on the block.