Friends, I want to let you in on a little secret. Halloween is not just for the kids.
Growing up, Halloween was one of my absolute favorite holidays. I mean, what is more fun that dressing up, staying up too late, and having an excuse to indulge in all kinds of fun treats?
Now that I have little ones of my own, I am finding that my love for Halloween has been re-ignited. It also serves as a great excuse to do one of my favorite things – host a party!
Pumpkin rice krispie treats, mummy pigs in a blanket, candy corn-fanged apples. The treat ideas for kids for this holiday are really just excellent. But what about the grown ups?
Today, I wanted to share with you how I styled a spooky cheeseboard for a little pre -Halloween get together. Charcuterie boards are one of my go-to appetizers because they allow so much variety, everyone loves to just pick and nibble, and I think they are visually appealing so its really a win all around.
This post is sponsored by Wayfair – one of my favorite retailers for all things entertaining. As always, my thoughts are entirely my own. Thank you for showing love for the brands who love this little blog of mine so well.
When deciding what I wanted to serve for this get-together, a cheeseboard was the obvious choice because they are always so well-received by guests. But, I knew I wanted to style it in a fun, spooky way to celebrate Halloween.
When I’m putting together a cheeseboard for a party I always think I have bought way too much but yet somehow it all always gets eaten. I suggest choosing a nice, large platter or board and then overfilling it. I love circular platters like the one below as well as platters that are unusually shaped.
Wayfair carries some of the cutest little Halloween-themed ramekins by Fiesta dinnerware. They had several styles to choose from but I thought these black and orange jack-o-lantern ramekins were so fun so I chose a pair of them for my board.
I also ordered a pack of little plastic spiders while I was at it so that I could sprinkle them atop my completed board.
I have a few go-to cheeses whenever I put together a cheeseboard – Boursin or goat cheese with jam, a sharp cheddar, and a firm parmesan. Then, I add to this based on color and what I find on sale. I go ahead a cut a few pieces of each so that guests won’t feel shy about cutting the first piece. I always mix in a thinly sliced salami and prosciutto as well and pair my meats and cheeses with a couple types of crackers and toasted baguette. Adding mustard, honey and jams, or cocktail pickles are great additions, too.
I also really love adding a little fruit to my cheeseboards so for this Halloween board I chose purple grapes and candied oranges. I thought the colors fit the season nicely and both add just the perfect mixture of tart and sweetness to balance out the meats and cheeses.
Finally, it is Halloween after all, so we can’t forget the candy completely! I filled one of my ramekins with candy corn and I may or may not have had quite the helping of candy corn myself in the process!
I set my cheeseboard on my island for everyone to enjoy along with this cute little “Welcome my pretties” canvas and appetizer plates and napkins so that guests could dig in and help themselves.
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A few tips for your own Halloween cheeseboard:
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- Use ramekins or small candy bowls for a festive touch
- Choose colors that go along with the holiday – for Halloween I tried to bring in purple, orange, and even a little bit of Monster-green with the cocktail pickles
- Don’t worry about it looking too perfect – you don’t want your guests to be afraid to dig right in!
Let’s chat: Do you have a go-to appetizer for when you host a crowd?
