Easy Entertaining | Platter It Up for your Boudoir Babes

Easy Entertaining | Platter It Up for your Boudoir Babes

I love entertaining, but I also love keeping things simple! So what is my best weapon, whilst still catering for a group of people with different tastes? Platters!
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If you have ever been to a Pure Beauty Photography Information Night, you would have experienced one of my platters.

So here's a few tips and tricks for creating your own Platter de Resistance!!!

Start with several larger items and position them at the centre and ends of your platter

I purchased several large plastic platters (from Cheap as Chips of similar) for around $2 each. I also purchased a couple of smaller ones, for when it's just a small nibbles platter for two or three people. These are great because they are reusable, easily stacked away in my pantry, and can be used for a multitude of serving different foods!

I always purchase a few different types of cheeses and at least one dip. I try  to cater to most people's tastes - not everyone is a fan of Blue Cheese or a Spicy Chilli Cheese! My usual suspects include Brie or Camembert, Tasty Cheese, a Herb or Mild Chilli Cream Cheese, and I like to mix it up with a Goats Cheese or something a little different. I chop and change which dip I buy too - no one wants the same thing over and over! Some of my favorites are Spicy Pumpkin, Beetroot Hommus or Pesto and Cashew chunky dip. I like a bit of colour!

I then place the dip in the middle of the platter, and then a cheese north, east, south and west of the dip. This works as a great starting point for placement of your other items. I tend to find that starting with the larger items, makes it easier to visualise where you want to place the rest of your items.
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Don't be afraid to add meat to your platter - unless you are catering purely for vegetarians - the sky is the limit!! Again, I try to cater to everyone's taste! Not everyone likes Hot Salami or Spicy Twiggy Sticks! I like to add the traditional favorites, like Kabana and Twiggy Sticks, but love adding some Shaved Ham or Prosciutto and Salami.

Fruit goes with Cheese AND adds an element of something light to your Platter

Grapes are always a perfect addition to a cheese platter, but don't be scared to put on Strawberries, Cherry Tomatoes (yes, tomatoes are a fruit!) or Figs! Mix it up, you might really surprise yourself and your guests!

I love an Antipasto element, but remember to select wisely. For example, I love a Fetta stuffed Bell Pepper, but as these are bathing in Olive Oil, these are NOT suitable for a Pure Beauty Information Evening. Think about it......touching all these beautiful photos with oily and greasy fingers! Aggggghhhhhhh! (I can hear Lauren quietly dying inside as I wrote that!) So, I save my Antipasto additions for other events where beautiful and expensive photographs are not being touched!

Of course on a Cheese Platter you want to have crackers! I don't like to inundate my platter with crackers - I can always (and do) take another packet with me to add to the platter when the initial supply is running low. Remember your guests too - anyone gluten free, Keto??? An addition of crudites (carrot sticks, celery etc..) is a great option, or look for crackers that are gluten free.

​And don't forget the Cheese Knives!!!
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Don't just limit yourself to Cheese and Nibbles!

The possibilities are endless....Fruit platters are always amazing, and can offer so much fresh variety. Mix it up with the fruit and don't be scared of a fruit you haven't tried before! Dragonfruit is really pretty with its magenta skin and inner white flesh with little black seeds - whilst this doesn't have much taste, it makes a great palette cleanser to move on to the next fruit. I love it when exotic fruits are in season and I can play with the different shapes and tastes - fresh and ripe Starfruit is amazing and a beautiful addition to a platter (or a Punch! Proven recipes to follow in another blog!)

Again, start with the larger fruit and work your way down. I love breaking up the colours too where I can - mix it up, separating colours so you don't end up with a big block of orange or red, but don't be too hard on yourself if you have some of those colours together. Ensure your fruit is fresh and ripe! I can't stress this enough - there's nothing worse than taking a bite into rock hard and tasteless Honeydew Melon (which I personally find tasteless ALL the time, but I still put it on a platter because I know so many people enjoy it), or worse.....an overripe & mushy strawberry! And always, ALWAYS rinse your fruit under gently running cold water, and let it drain properly. You don't need a big puddle of water on your platter!
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Remember a nice glass of wine is a fabulous accompaniment for a platter! But drink responsibly my Beauties!

My next platter is going to be a mixed dessert platter - think waffles, strawberries, chocolate dipping sauce etc... Now I only haven't attempted one so far because I'm really not a sweet tooth, I love my savories, BUT I can see the enjoyment so many people get from these (think of those yummy dessert platters from Royal Copenhagen or Bobby + Me!!)

They do put a smile on my face (before the sugar kicks in on the kids and I have to deal with the after effects!)

​Kim xo