Winter Solstice Cheese Board (Printable)

A vibrant seasonal board blending savory olives, rich cheese, fresh fruit, and nuts for balanced flavors.

# What you'll 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 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 (Brie & Pears)

08 - 7 oz ripe Brie cheese, wheel or wedge
09 - 2 ripe pears, thinly sliced
10 - 2.1 oz honeycomb or 2 tbsp 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

# Method:

01 - Use a line of rosemary or a row of crackers to split the serving board exactly in half.
02 - Place the olives, dried figs, fig jam, dark chocolate, and roasted almonds on one half. Garnish with rosemary.
03 - On the opposite half, arrange Brie, sliced pears, honeycomb or honey drizzle, toasted walnuts, and green grapes. Garnish with thyme.
04 - Position baguette slices and crackers along the center or on separate plates.
05 - Present immediately at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours planning when you really spent fifteen minutes thinking about flavor balance.
  • Nobody leaves hungry, and somehow it feels fancy without being fussy.
  • The dark and light divide gives everyone permission to eat their preferences without judgment.
02 -
  • Slice your pears and apples at the last possible moment or they'll oxidize and lose their bright appeal.
  • Room temperature is the magic here—cold Brie won't spread, and cold chocolate won't melt into the figs.
03 -
  • Use odd numbers when clustering items—three olives look more intentional than four, five grapes more graceful than six.
  • Let ingredients overlap slightly so the board feels abundant without looking chaotic or crowded.
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