Winter Solstice Cheese Board (Printable)

A striking spread combining savory olives and figs with fresh Brie, pears, and nuts for balanced flavors.

# What you need:

→ Dark Side - Olives & Figs

01 - 3.5 oz Kalamata olives, pitted
02 - 3.5 oz oil-cured black olives
03 - 4.2 oz dried mission figs, halved
04 - 2 tablespoons fig jam
05 - 1.4 oz dark chocolate, broken into pieces
06 - 2.1 oz roasted almonds
07 - 1 sprig fresh rosemary (for garnish)

→ Light Side - Brie & Pears

08 - 7 oz ripe Brie cheese, wheel or wedge
09 - 2 ripe pears, thinly sliced
10 - 2 tablespoons honeycomb or honey
11 - 1.4 oz toasted walnuts
12 - 2.1 oz seedless green grapes
13 - 1 small bunch fresh thyme (for garnish)

→ Accompaniments

14 - 1 small baguette, sliced
15 - 3.5 oz assorted crackers

# Directions:

01 - Use a line of rosemary sprigs or arrange a row of crackers to split the board evenly into two halves.
02 - Place the Kalamata olives, oil-cured black olives, dried figs, fig jam, dark chocolate pieces, and roasted almonds neatly on one half. Garnish with rosemary.
03 - On the opposite half, arrange Brie cheese, thinly sliced pears, honeycomb or a honey drizzle, toasted walnuts, and green grapes. Garnish with fresh thyme.
04 - Position the baguette slices and assorted crackers either along the center line or on separate serving plates.
05 - Present immediately at room temperature for optimal flavor and texture.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • It's a showstopper that takes barely fifteen minutes and makes you look like you spent all afternoon thinking.
  • The two-sided design means everyone finds something they love, whether they're drawn to rich, earthy flavors or bright, clean ones.
  • It tells a story without saying a word—the symbolism does the work for you.
02 -
  • Arrange the board no more than thirty minutes before serving; pears will oxidize and honeycomb can dry out if left too long in the cold air.
  • Keep everything at room temperature—cold cheese is tight and reluctant to share its flavor, and you want people to taste how good it actually is.
  • The Brie wheel should be ripe enough to yield slightly to pressure but not so soft it collapses; this is the texture that makes people close their eyes.
03 -
  • Arrange everything on a cold board that's been chilling for at least an hour; it keeps the cheese from softening too quickly and makes the whole thing last longer.
  • Let guests serve themselves slowly and without hurry—the best moment with a board like this is when people linger, trying different combinations and discovering unexpected pairings on their own.
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