Board O’ Treats for our Halloween
By Scotty Irani, Food Columnist
We love Halloween. We love Halloween as much as we love a brand new leather tote bag, a new tube of self-bronzer, and whatever Beyonce, Brittney, or Ga-Ga release out to their adoring fans.
We have claimed All Hallows Eve, and it’s ours.
We love the decorations, the group costumes with our squads, and of course the parties. Some of us too…of a certain age…love a ‘more quieter’ get together before all the mayhem and merriment begin. That can be drinks and snacks at home, wearing a nice simple masquerade mask and then heading out the door to count how many lumber jacks, navy seamen, firemen, and Adele’s (let’s hear it for the big girls!) are out for our special night.
When the crew comes over consider laying out a Board O’ Treats to snack on. You can still be “grown and refined” at home, then letting Halloween do its thing where you end up making out with Lumber Jack No.9 (allegedly).
Ahem, “What was your name again?”
Autumn Harvest Board
Artisan Bread, torn-ripped
Artisan Cheeses – we used Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese, TeaHive Cheddar Cheese and a French Roquefort Blue Cheese
Olives of all kinds
Orchard fruit and stone fruits, sliced
Figs, cut in half
Pomegranate, deseeded
Butter and Flakey Sea Salt
Honeycomb
Spicy Dark Chocolate, broken into pieces
Big wood board to serve on
A few pointers when arranging a harvest board:
Use a big enough board, better to have the contrast of wood showing then all the good stuff rolling off.
Place the cheeses and bread down first, everything else can be scattered around and made to fit.
Keep each ingredient clumped somewhat together, to keep easier to dish from.
If using honeycomb, place on the board at the edge. The honey starts to seep out of the comb as soon as it is cut.