{"id":3889,"date":"2019-11-22T00:11:00","date_gmt":"2019-11-21T12:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.niesh.co.nz\/?p=3889"},"modified":"2020-04-03T13:00:20","modified_gmt":"2020-04-03T01:00:20","slug":"your-simple-guide-to-holiday-entertaining","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.niesh.co.nz\/blog\/health-lifestyle\/your-simple-guide-to-holiday-entertaining\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Simple Guide to Holiday Entertaining"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
CHRISTMAS PARTIES, DRINKS AND LONG AFTERNOONS IN THE SUN WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILIES – WHAT BETTER WAY TO SPEND YOUR SUMMER?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The age of grammable food is upon us and the holidays is an opportunity not to be missed. The below guide will help you become a GREAT host by keeping your your guests wined and dined. Or better yet, a star guest who contributes to the platter or drinks fridge!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Platters and Grazing Boards<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Platters are an easy way to provide nibbles for your guests. They can be as simple or fancy as you want, and there is little to no cooking involved which makes prep super easy! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just gather your ingredients, lay them out and boom<\/em>, food sorted.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Nail the key components, and you’ve got yourself a great platter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
A Degustation Guide<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
1) Cheese – <\/strong>my go-to combo is one soft<\/em><\/strong> (like Camembert or Brie), one har<\/em>d<\/strong> (like a smoked cheddar or gouda) and one fun<\/em>ky<\/strong> (blue cheese\u2026 I\u2019m looking at you). For a sweeter twist, find a wheel of cream cheese filled with nuts and dried fruit!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tip:<\/strong> It’s always a good idea to buy an additional wheel of Camembert for a bigger group, it’s a popular choice and always goes first. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
2) Crackers and bread –<\/strong> it\u2019s not a platter without some carb-y goodness. The thin wafer crackers are great (and far superior to plain water crackers IMO), and so are oat crackers which are buttery and great on their own. You can never have too much bread and crackers in my experience\u2026 the more people drink, the faster the crackers go (regardless if there is cheese left or not). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Tip: <\/em><\/strong>to cater <\/em>for smaller groups, look for the special ‘cheese-board’ selections to get you a great variety on your platter without buying lots of different products.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
3) Meat<\/strong> \u2013 some p\u00e2t\u00e9, salami or prosciutto never hurts on a platter (unless all your guests are vego). However, they can be pretty pricey so if your budget is limited I would say this is an optional extra. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
4) Dips<\/strong> \u2013 hummus and other dips are a great (and affordable) way to bulk out the platter, and it means you can have less cheeses but still feed a crowd. Pop a few handfuls of tortilla chips or bread next to the dips. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other extras <\/strong>\u2013 grapes, sliced apple and pear, nuts and fruit paste or preserves are all wonderful additions to a platter. You don\u2019t need a lot of these extras, because a little goes a long way into elevating your grazing board to the next level!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Make It Festive<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Want to be extra festive? Try this wreath made of cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls and basil. Or add a few mince pies to your platter! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Drinks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
BYO is great, but why not take it an extra step to impress?<\/p>\n\n\n\n