Entertaining enthusiasts, put down your cheese knives and drop the dip - do-it-yourself drinks and garnish boards are the new and trendy take on traditional charcuterie for any host with the most.
The essence of easy entertaining, food boards have seen a rise in popularity in recent times, with creative reinventions of classic cheese and charcuterie taking social media by storm. We've seen pavlova boards, pancake boards and even baked potato boards - but 2022 is the year of the DIY drinks board, according to Cam Timmins, the commercial manager at Fever-Tree, a producer of premium mixers.
"It's a bit of a talking point and a fun way for people to come together at the beginning of the evening," Timmins says.
So leave the humble cheese board in 2021 and wow your guests with a well-curated spread of delicious drinks and decorative toppings. Not only do the boards make a show-stopping centerpiece for your next get-together, they offer a fun DIY experience that allows guests to embellish their beverages with an array of garnishes. Plus, they're quick and easy to assemble and totally customisable depending on how many you're catering for - making them the perfect option for a hurried host with limited time and resources.
Timmins has put together his top tips to help you prep like a pro and create an eye-catching masterpiece perfect for Instagram - while still having the energy for a fabulous time afterwards.
- Start with a serving tray or nice chopping board - even place two side-by-side if you're short on space. A large platter will also do the trick.
- A little bit of preparation goes a long way. Fruits are a fun and easy garnish and can be prepped ahead of time. Citrus fruits like orange, lemon and lime are great bets, as well as strawberries while they're in season. Cut up the fruits beforehand and store them in the fridge. When it's time to put it all together - about 15 minutes before your guests arrive - you can take out the garnishes and start building your board.
- Instead of clumping together single ingredients, disperse the different garnishes evenly across the board - this means guests can reach for a garnish from any part of the table.
- People really do eat with their eyes, so use a variety of colours, sizes and shapes to add visual interest and balance - keep some fruits whole for extra contrast.
- Pre-make a few twists of orange and lemon rind and pre-chop sticks of cucumber so guests can easily add them to their drink.
- Think about using bowls for the smaller garnishes, like edible flowers, to add height and different dimensions - some garnishes, such as peppercorns, will need a bowl because they're too small or difficult to contain.
- Fill in empty spaces on the board with sprigs of herbs so it looks full and fresh - they'll also add fragrance. Classic cocktail herbs like woody rosemary, basil and zingy mint are great additions - get your guests to clap the mint between their hands to release the oils before dropping the leaves in their drink.
For an added touch, place some small bottles of liquor, such as rum, gin and vodka, around the spread for extra oomph.
The best bit? With no slaving over a hot stove, clean-up is pretty minimal - so set the board aside for future you to worry about and enjoy another drink (or two). Well done, host!
