Winter Solstice Cheese Board

# What You Need:

→ Dark Side (Half-Board: 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 tbsp 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 (Half-Board: Brie & Pears)

08 - 7 oz ripe Brie cheese, wheel or wedge

09 - 2 ripe pears, thinly sliced

10 - 2 tbsp 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

# How to Make It:

01 - On a large rectangular or round board, separate the board into two halves using a line of rosemary or a row of crackers.

02 - On one half of the board, neatly arrange the Kalamata olives, oil-cured black olives, dried figs, fig jam, dark chocolate pieces, and roasted almonds. Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary.

03 - On the opposite half, place the Brie cheese, thinly sliced pears, drizzle with honeycomb or honey, toasted walnuts, and seedless green grapes. Garnish with fresh thyme.

04 - Arrange sliced baguette and assorted crackers along the center or on separate serving plates for easy access.

05 - Present immediately at room temperature, ensuring all elements are fresh and visually balanced.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

It looks like you spent hours in the kitchen when you actually spent fifteen minutes assembling it.
You can eat your way through an entire flavor journey without anyone having to pass a single plate.

02 -

Cold Brie is the most common mistake—it tastes chalky and waxy instead of the cloud-like experience it should be, so pull it from the fridge at least twenty minutes before serving.
The board's magic is in its balance, so resist the urge to fill every gap; white space around ingredients is what makes people's eyes actually see the composition.

03 -