This may be as close to “trick or treating” this year as I will get! That is, staying in, having cocktails, and enjoying the treats I am sharing today! Well, we should say for the adults at least. In all seriousness, I do hope the kiddies are able to do some form of trick or treating! I know in my neighborhood, they have given a few options as to how to participate to allow for some normalcy while staying safe! So, YES, we need to stay safe but I think we all need a little fun, and joy, in our life right now! This is why I wanted to do something FUN in honor of the season – make one of my specialities with a twist. That’s right, today I am sharing my latest work of art – a treat board! No tricks just treats and, hopefully, a lot of happy bellies!
October 31st was always such a fun day growing up, and still is to this day. While the enthusiasm for trick or treating has turned into seeing the kids in their costumes vs. participating, it is, also, my parents Wedding Anniversary! I know, right? And, this Saturday, they will be celebrating 39 FABULOUS YEARS. I may be biased but I, truly, have the BEST PARENTS IN THE WORLD!
With it being their Anniversary, we, always, grew up having a big party at our house. While the numbers are becoming smaller – our family is getting bigger and, this year, with Covid – we still make it a really awesome time (whether it be with 3 or 15). Next year, we will, REALLY, party!
It’s no surprise to hear that one of my party favorites is to make a gorgeous cheese & charcuterie board. While all of the boards I make are customizable, I decided to do one that was a blend of sweet, salty, and creamy and not ONE vegetable. Who am I? I mean, it is Halloween and I picked out some items for this treat board that were as clean and healthy as you could get when it comes to candy.
And, yes, feel free to create your treat board with WHATEVER your favorite candy (or sweets) may be this time of year!
Before I get into the specifics, how fabulous is THIS PLATTER I used in lieu of my, typical, rectangular wooden board? The Happy Everything by Laura Johnson collection was designed as the perfect solution to decorate for ANY Holiday in no time at all. With a handful of bases – think platters, bowls, jars, frames etc. – in different sizes and patterns, you can create the perfect centerpiece with the plethora of attachments for any Holiday or occasion!
I have had my eye on these at a local, Baltimore based establishment, Smyth Jewelers, and I knew it would be perfect to purchase for this latest spread!
Time to put this beauty together! As I mentioned, you can, totally, customize this treat board to how you want it to look, as well as what you like. Adding some more orange in the form of carrots, peppers, or, dare I say CHEETOS, could give it a different feel and geared towards a younger audience. Another option is to sub gouda and cheddar for blue and goat cheese that have a little more dimension and character. Of course, your favorite candy can make it’s debut as well.
Sky’s the limit!
All of my items came from Mom’s Organic Market. Not my usual go-to but I went in looking for one thing, and ended up purchasing all for a one stop shop. Errands anymore are becoming way too much!
Cheeses – I am not a blue or goat cheese fan, so I picked the “spookiest” looking ones in the case. The aged Gouda had a black rind which just seemed so on point, and the apple smoked cheddar had a orangish/reddish appearance. BINGO!
Charcuterie – Honestly, I grabbed the assortment of meats that I liked and, voila, it was fabulous!
- Uncured Chorizo
- Jamon Serrano
- Uncured Salchichon
Sweets
- Green grapes; I used for more of a color contrast in lieu of red!
- Hu “Get to Human” Chocolate Covered Hunks Cashews & Almonds
- Unreal Candy Coated Dark Chocolate with Crispy Quinoa
- Evolved Almond Butter Cups
Salty
As for preparing your platter or board, be creative! It is your time to shine so be unique! There is no right or wrong; if you need some inspiration, Pinterest has some great ideas but I have all the faith you can do it on your own!
Cheers to a FUN, yet different, Halloween! Happy Anniversary Mom & Dad!
xoxo
