Hanging Gardens Appetizer (Printable)

A vibrant arrangement of fresh vegetables, fruits, cheeses, and dips for an impressive starter.

# What you need:

→ Fresh Vegetables

01 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
02 - 1 cup baby carrots, trimmed
03 - 1 cup cucumber slices
04 - 1 cup radishes, thinly sliced
05 - 1 cup snap peas
06 - 1 cup endive leaves

→ Fruits

07 - 1 cup seedless grapes
08 - 1 cup strawberries, hulled and halved

→ Cheeses

09 - 5.3 oz goat cheese, shaped into small balls
10 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, cubed

→ Dips & Spreads

11 - ½ cup hummus
12 - ½ cup tzatziki
13 - ½ cup pesto

→ Garnishes & Extras

14 - ¼ cup toasted pistachios, chopped
15 - ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
16 - 2 tablespoons edible flowers (optional)
17 - ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
18 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
19 - Sea salt, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Wash, trim, and slice all vegetables and fruits as specified.
02 - Shape goat cheese into small balls and cube the feta cheese.
03 - Place mini-stands and bowls at varying heights on a large platter or board.
04 - Artfully distribute vegetables, fruits, and cheeses among the stands and bowls, allowing ingredients to overflow for a lush garden effect.
05 - Fill small bowls with hummus, tzatziki, and pesto and place them among the arranged ingredients.
06 - Sprinkle toasted pistachios, fresh basil leaves, and edible flowers over the arrangement.
07 - Drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
08 - Present immediately, inviting guests to pick and dip as desired.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • It's a conversation piece that asks nothing of your guests except to enjoy themselves, no forks required.
  • Everything is prepared in advance, so you're actually relaxed when people arrive instead of sweating over a stove.
  • The combination of textures keeps surprising you—creamy cheese, crisp snap peas, the slight give of a perfectly ripe strawberry.
02 -
  • Prepare vegetables only as far in advance as necessary—I learned this the hard way when I cut everything an hour early and watched the board slowly wilt into sadness.
  • Invest in actual tiered stands or borrow them; a flat platter loses the magic of the vertical dimension that makes this feel like an edible sculpture.
  • The board looks more generous and intentional if you use odd numbers of ingredients and let colors echo rather than perfectly balance.
03 -
  • Chill your serving board in the freezer for 15 minutes before assembling so vegetables stay crisp longer during service.
  • Use a sharp knife and let the vegetables speak for themselves—uniform cuts and thoughtful slicing are what separate a board from a pile.
  • Trust that people will find what they love; you're creating an experience of discovery, not dictating what they should enjoy.
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