Industrial Slate Appetizer Platter (Print Version)

Bold platter with cold meats, sharp cheeses, grapes, and olives on a rustic stone slab.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Cold Meats

01 - 3.5 oz smoked prosciutto
02 - 3.5 oz soppressata
03 - 3.5 oz coppa
04 - 3.5 oz mortadella

→ Sharp Cheeses

05 - 3.5 oz aged cheddar, sliced
06 - 3.5 oz Manchego, sliced
07 - 3.5 oz Gruyère, sliced
08 - 3.5 oz blue cheese, sliced or crumbled

→ Accompaniments

09 - 1 small bunch seedless red grapes
10 - 1.75 oz cornichons
11 - 1.75 oz whole grain mustard
12 - 1.75 oz mixed olives (green and black)
13 - Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Place a large, heavy, unpolished stone or slate serving board on a clean workspace.
02 - Lay out the cold meats in straight, parallel lines on one side of the board, keeping each type separate and visually distinct.
03 - On the opposite side of the board, arrange the sharp cheeses in straight lines, grouping each type together.
04 - Fill the spaces between the meats and cheeses with small clusters of grapes, cornichons, and mixed olives.
05 - Place small dollops of whole grain mustard in neat lines or serve in a small dish at the slate's corner.
06 - Lightly sprinkle freshly cracked black pepper over the meats and cheeses to enhance aroma.
07 - Present immediately, allowing guests to enjoy the minimalist, industrial presentation.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It looks impressive enough to stun your guests, yet takes just 15 minutes and requires zero cooking skills.
  • The stark, geometric presentation gives you permission to be intentional about your ingredients—suddenly everyone notices how good that Manchego actually tastes.
  • It's one of those dishes that feels completely different depending on the light and the angle, so even you'll keep discovering new visual details as the evening unfolds.
02 -
  • Buy your cheeses and meats no more than a day or two before serving, and keep them in their original packaging until the last possible moment—the second they hit air, they start drying out.
  • The arrangement matters more than perfection; slightly crooked lines read as intentional and modern, while trying too hard to make everything perfectly straight looks amateur.
  • Let the board sit out for about five minutes before serving so the cold meats and cheeses aren't punishingly cold—flavors disappear when everything's icy.
03 -
  • Buy your cured meats from a proper butcher counter, not pre-packaged; they'll slice them to exactly the thickness you want and the flavor difference is noticeable.
  • If any ingredient looks tired by the middle of the evening, quietly swap it out—your guests won't notice, but the board will look refreshed.
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