How to Make the Best Crudités Board

Crudités is not only one of our favourite things to eat, but its also one of our go-to appetizers when hosting! We particularly love it because a) Richelle is a fairly picky eater and  she loves that she can choose what goes on her plate without looking rude b) because it is one of the quickest and easiest appetizers to make c) Crudités  is a great option for any Season/ Occasion! Summer, yes. Thanksgiving, definitely! Christmas- One Hundred Percent!

Never made one before or in a Crudités rut? No worries!

We have 5 simple tips for you to make your Crudités incredible! 

1.  Give Lots of Options- This goes back to our comment on being picky! Not everyone loves all kinds of Fruits or veggies, and the board you create depends a lot on who you are making it for! If it’s for some adventurous adult foodies, the crudités Platter you’ll want to create is much different than ones I would make for my small children. In most cases you will have a mixture of people, so by providing a multitude of options you can ensure there is something for everyone! We aim to Start with 3-5 popular vegetables like carrott sticks, cucumber and cherry tomatoes or pea pods. Then, spice it up a bit with pickled beets, watermelon radishes or artichokes! 

2. Mix Sweet and Savory Flavors- Many skip the sweet flavors on a crudités  board and we believe this to be a critical error! We recommend 3-4 different types of Fruit. Go with a few staples like Grapes and berries, then, if you want to get a little wild, try adding something unique like figs, Kumquats, Golden Berries or Asian Pear. I follow that same strategy with veggies.

3. Presentation- One of the keys to an envy-inducing Crudités board is aesthetic appeal, aka how fab it looks all put together! We always start by putting a few small bowls or ramekins spaced through out the board. Next add in all your condiments  (honeys, mustards, spreads like hummus etc). Then Cut your fruits and vegetables in unique shapes and place them around the board strategically. Its more visually appealing to have various shapes and sizes around the board. Get creative with different designs to create depth and vary color.

4. FILL the Board- Let no space go empty! If you have run out of ingredients, feel free to add decorative and edible garnishes that create a little flair. I love to use Fresh, Organic Herbs such as Rosemary, Dill, Thyme and Basil. You can also use other random items kicking around in your fridge such as Spicy Arugula, Butter Leaf Lettuce, Kale, Cranberries or Pomegranate seeds for a pop of color and little zip of Freshness.

We also love sliced grapefruit, halved pomegranate, and halved kiwis and place through out the board. A few other finishes we love to add at the end- clementine oranges with the leaves still on,  watermelon radishes, and gooseberries! Have fun playing with the colors and textures. We often make our boards a mixture of charcuterie and Crudités  to add more color and freshness! For hints on how to do that- check out this post!

5. Incorporate Small Dishes- We love the look and practicality little dishes and ramekins provide. You can contain some items like soft condiments (Dressings and dips in this case) or smaller pickled items like beets or olives that might bleed into another ingredient’s space. Using small dishes also gives the platter another eye-catching dimension. You can also use little jars or cute shaped containers you have left over from other ingredients.

Have Fun Crudités-ing! Make an amazing board? Be sure to share on your socials and tag us @therivercitysisters