Why we've all gone crazy for 'grazing': Forget canapes and cocktail sausages. The chicest hosts now wow their guests with picture-perfect platters
- Grazing ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ës have Áý²Ã¤¹¤ëd in ¿Íµ¤ at events since the end of lockdown
- ¤µ¤Þ¤¶¤Þ¤Ê delicacies are artfully laid out to ½üµî¤¹¤ë ¤®¤³¤Á¤Ê¤¤ Ì£Êý¤¹¤ë of social events
- UK-based cookery writer Rose Prince, ³ô advice for creating a spread??
Remember the Îäø¤Ê buffet, the kitsch of party catering? Pineapple chunks stabbed with cheese and ham on cocktail sticks, platters of devilled eggs and the dreaded chicken in aspic, without which no µ¡Ç½¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë¡¿¹Ô»ö was ´°Á´¤Ë¤¹¤ë.
Today, astonishingly, the ¡Æspread¡Ç is »Ù±ç¤¹¤ë ¡½ but in a very different form. Welcome to the summer grazing ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ë, the Îäø¤Ê buffet of the Instagram »þÂå, where the art of entertaining is taken to ¶Ã¤¯¤Ù¤¡¿ÆÃÌ¿¤Î¡¿Î×»þ¤Î levels.
Think of a Dutch still life you can ¸½¼Â¤Ë eat. The best of seasonal fruits, vegetables, pickles, artisan breads, cheeses and more, piled on to a dining ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ë that is not just a feast for the stomach but also for the ÃíÌܤ¹¤ë¡¤¤â¤¯¤í¤às.
There are no separate serving plates, and ¡ÆÆ»¶ñs¡Ç are ¸º¤º¤ëd to cocktail sticks or little ·ë¼Òs made from bamboo. The food goes straight on to the (clean) ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ë, with perhaps a sheet of baking parchment here or there to catch crumbs or drips.
Cookery writer Rose Prince, ³ô advice for creating a successful spread as the ·¹¸þ for grazin g ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ës (pictured) ¿¤Ó¡Ê¤ë¡Ës ¿Íµ¤?
The beauty of the grazing ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ë is not only in the way it looks but also in its please-all variety. The ¤µ¤Þ¤¶¤Þ¤Ê delicacies are laid out ¡½ artfully, mind you ¡½ for guests to Áª¤Ö at as the party ¿ÊÊâs. No waiters, no enquiries as to ¡Æbeef or salmon?¡Ç, no ¡Êµ¿¤¤¤ò¡ËÀ²¤é¤¹ing necessary or a host sweating to heat things up.
Behind the idea lies the ambition to ½üµî¤¹¤ë the ¤®¤³¤Á¤Ê¤¤ Ì£Êý¤¹¤ë of social events: it is a more convivial form of eating, with no more squirming in the Îó for food, self-consciously clutching a plate.
If the ¤µ¤Þ¤¶¤Þ¤Ê À®Ê¬s for the grazing ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ë have been ʬÇÛ¤¹¤ëd °æ¸Í¡¿ÊÛ¸î»ÎÀÊ, the idea is not only to help yourself but perhaps ¿½¤·¹þ¤à¡¿¿½¤·½Ð a tidbit of this or that to another guest and begin a conversation with ´ËϤ¹¤ë rather than ÅöÏÇ. Food is a leveller.
I love grazing ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ës. Since the end of lockdown, their ¿Íµ¤ at events like weddings has µÞ¤Ë¾å¤¬¤ëd both here and in America. It is democratic catering, jaw-droppingly good-looking and also value for money.
Guests È¿±þ¤¹¤ë diversely to this type of ¿½¤·¹þ¤à¡¿¿½¤·½Ðing. Some pile in, taking up a ±Êµ×¤Î position by the ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ë; others take a little something, then nothing more. There is undoubtedly ¤¤¤Ã¤½¤¦¾¯¤Ê¤¯ waste.
Guests divide on the way they eat socially, but most agree that ¸ºß pestered to take a canap? is a conversation stopper. In my experience, those who want to eat will happily Áܤ·½Ð¤¹ it out.
Catering ²ñ¼Ò¡¿·ø¤¤s who specialise in ¡ Ægrazing¡Ç ¹ðȯ¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë¡¤¹ðÁʡʤ¹¤ë¡Ë¡¿ÎÁ¶â by the metre of ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ë. Grape & Fig, a catering company which ¾ÇÅÀ¡Ê¤ò¹ç¤ï¤»¤ë¡Ës on grazing ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ës, start at ¡ò305 for one metre, feeding 30, up to a 12-metre ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ë feeding 360 for ¡ò3,605.
This may seem pricey, but when you considering how much it would cost to cater for the same number at a sit-É餫¤¹¡¿·âÄƤ¹¤ë meal, it is still a cheaper way to ÎÁ¶âd a ¡Ê¿Í¤¬¡Ë·²¤¬¤ë.
Rose (pictured) said grazing ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ës are an ŬÀڤʻþ´ü to support Ãϸµ¤Î ¾¦Çä¡¿»Å»ös, as it's ɬ¿Ü¤Î to choose food that have a handmade look?
It can, of course, be done for ¤¤¤Ã¤½¤¦¾¯¤Ê¤¯ without help. Then it becomes a »öÊÁ of shopping °æ¸Í¡¿ÊÛ¸î»ÎÀÊ and keeping in your mind¡Çs ÃíÌܤ¹¤ë¡¤¤â¤¯¤í¤à how °æ¸Í¡¿ÊÛ¸î»ÎÀÊ all the food on the ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ë will go together, and, ¡¼¤¹¤ë¤¿¤á¤Ë create the strongest ¾×·â, how the colours and ·ÁÂÖ¡¿Ä´À°s will Ä´À°¤¹¤ë.
So au revoir, les canap?s; see you later, reheated spring rolls; and good riddance to the Ë¡°Æ for catering ¸Û¤¦. With the arrival of the grazing ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ë, a host can now be a guest at their own party and the buffet is no longer Îäø¤Ê but very Î䵤¡¿´¨¤¬¤é¤»¤ëd.
HOW TO CREATE A SUCCESSFUL SPREAD
·×²è¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë: A grazing ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ë with wide ¹µÁÊ¡¤¾å¹ð is one made of foods that can sit Ì£Êý¤¹¤ë by Ì£Êý¤¹¤ë, that go °æ¸Í¡¿ÊÛ¸î»ÎÀÊ together but ¿½¤·¹þ¤à¡¿¿½¤·½Ð choice to people with Áê°ã¤¹¤ë diets, from carnivores to flexitarians to vegans.
For the protein, choose cured meat (charcuterie), cheeses and a lemony ²¼Í¤ë made with blended pulses. Äɲ乤ë raw or steamed vegetables, something ÁêÅö¤Ê such as new potatoes; peppery salad leaves, ½Ï¤·¤¿ seasonal fruit, handsome artisan bread, crackers and pickles.
Shop: This is a chance to support your best Ãϸµ¤Î deli, artisan ¥Ñ¥ó²° or greengrocer and buy good-¼Á cheeses and deli goods. While a whole or half cheese may cost more, grazing ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ës are still very good value when feeding a large number. Choosing food that not only tastes the best but has that special, handmade look is ɬ¿Ü¤Î.
Design: Next to ¼Á comes colour and ·ÁÂÖ¡¿Ä´À°. The fun in making the ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ë look beautiful is to choose foods that look pretty Ì£Êý¤¹¤ë by Ì£Êý¤¹¤ë: figs next to ham, colourful pickles by cheese, breads and crispy breads that come in Íø±×¡¿¶½Ì£ing ·ÁÂÖ¡¿Ä´À°s.
Rose recommends putting the food in groups, while blending greens, ¿¼¤¤ reds, pinks and pale yellows?
Greens, ¿¼¤¤ reds, pinks, pale yellows and Çö¾Æ¤¥Ñ¥ó¡¿ÁǾÆÆ«´ï-brown blend beautifully. Structure is important. Put the food in groups ¡½ cheeses in one place, meat another ¡½ not blended together in Îó¡¿Á椰¡¿ÁûÆ°s or it will look like an Axminster carpet.
½àÈ÷¤¹¤ë: You can »Ï¤á¤ë¡¤·è¤á¤ë up a grazing ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ë in good time before the doorbell goes but do µö¤¹ yourself plenty of time to ¡Æbuild¡Ç. This is the Ê¿°×¤Ê way to cater but the £Äè needs time and thought.
It is ¹Âç¤Ê¡¿Â¿¿ô¤Î¡¿½ÅÍ×¤Ê fun to do but not if you¡Çve left it all to the last minute. Make sure ɬ¿Ü¤Îs like bread and pickles are ʬÇÛ¤¹¤ëd all over the ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ë ¡½ what you don¡Çt want is a five-¿¼¤¤ Îó for them.
Be °ÂÁ´¤Ê: Èãɾ of grazing ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ës concentrates on food safety. Some abhor the idea of 100 people Áª¤Öing up food with their fingers, thinking it ´í¸±¤Ê, ÆÃ¤Ë at the moment.
Hosts should ¶¡µë¤¹¤ë cocktail sticks and small bamboo skewers for guests to use instead of fingers. And choose foods that sit °æ¸Í¡¿ÊÛ¸î»ÎÀÊ at an ambient µ¤²¹ for a »öÊÁ of three hours, °·¤¦ it cleanly and divide it into groups (meat in one area, smoked fish another etc): it should be ¤¢¤ê¤Õ¤ì¤¿ sense.
½àÈ÷¤¹¤ë as ¶á¤Å¤¯ as possible to the start of the party, leaving the more volatile foods (cured meat or smoked fish) until last. Keep your ¼êÅϤ¹s very clean, washing them between °·¤¦ing each food group.
Take Care: Keep À®Ê¬s we ll spaced if they could cross-±øÀ÷¤¹¤ë. If food is placed on the ¡ÊÊÆ¡Ëê¾å¤²¤¹¤ë¡¿¡Ê±Ñ¡ËÄóµÄ¤¹¤ë within two hours before serving, all should be °ÂÁ´¤Ê. But keep proteins ¡½ fish, meat and cheese ¡½ apart.
THE PRETTY WAY TO STICK TO THAT DIET?
Laura Billington, 43, (pictured) »Ï¤á¤ë¡¤·è¤á¤ë up Graze Cheshire last year and has penned a Ä´½ñ¤ò¤È¤ë¡¿Í½Ìó¤¹¤ë ³ôing advice for creating grazing plates
Fresh, delicious, artistically arranged platters ¡½ ÁȤßΩ¤Æ¤ë¡¿½¸·ë¤¹¤ëd just for you. Laura Billington »Ï¤á¤ë¡¤·è¤á¤ë up Graze Cheshire last year and her new Ä´½ñ¤ò¤È¤ë¡¿Í½Ì󤹤ë, ʳµ¯¤µ¤»¤ëd Grazing, shows you how to create grazing plates that are as much a feast for the ÃíÌܤ¹¤ë¡¤¤â¤¯¤í¤às as they are for the tastebuds.
Laura, 43, a mother of three, started ¼Â¸³ing with grazing boards and plates in July 2020 and, thanks to high ¼ûÍס¦Í׵᤹¤ë for her plates, which start from ¡ò40, has now ¤ä¤á¤ë her ¿¦¶È in ˡΧ to ¾ÇÅÀ¡Ê¤ò¹ç¤ï¤»¤ë¡Ë on it ½½Ê¬¤Ê time.
Here, with th e help of nutritionist Amanda Hamilton, she has put together five plates for whatever diet you¡Çre ¤Ë°ú¤Â³¤¤¤Æ ¡½ ²Ã¤¨¤ë one cheat plate for when you¡Çre having a bad day and the diet¡Çs gone out of the window.
500 CALORIES PLATE
Laura said?start with the biggest È¿ÂФ¹¤ës and work É餫¤¹¡¿·âÄƤ¹¤ë to the smallest, when ·úÀߤ¹¤ëing a grazing plate. Pictured: 500 calories plate
For those doing an intermittent µÞ®¤Ê¡¿ÊüÆ¢¤Êing diet, everything on this plate Äɲ乤ës up to 500 calories for you to graze on throughout the day. ¡ÆWhen ·úÀߤ¹¤ëing a grazing plate, start with the biggest È¿ÂФ¹¤ës and work É餫¤¹¡¿·âÄƤ¹¤ë to the smallest,¡Ç says Laura. ¡ÆAlways begin by placing your dipping ¥Þ¥ê¥Õ¥¡¥Ês on the plate, then artfully arrange everything else around them.¡Ç
You¡Çll need: 200g ¥Þ¥ê¥Õ¥¡¥Ê of tzatziki at 120 calories (such as M&S), 3 small carrots, 3 stalks celery, 100g blueberries threaded on to skewers, 1 little gem lettuce, half cucumber in ά¾Ïs and batons, 2 rice cakes in £´È¾´ü/4ʬ¤Î1s, 3 s lices watermelon, 100g sugar snaps.
All above plates use edible flowers (ÍøÍѤǤ¤ë at Waitrose and M&S) to garnish.
ANTI-AGEING
Laura recommends ¾ÇÅÀ¡Ê¤ò¹ç¤ï¤»¤ë¡Ëing on ¹©¾ì¡¿¿¢Êªs known for?antioxidants and polyphenols, when creating an anti-ageing plate (pictured)
The ¾ÇÅÀ¡Ê¤ò¹ç¤ï¤»¤ë¡Ë is on antioxidants and polyphenols ÀßΩ¤¹¤ë in ¹©¾ì¡¿¿¢Êªs that help Êݸ¤ë the ÃÄÂΡ¿»àÂÎ from the ageing ±Æ¶Ás of oxidative ¶¯Ä´¤¹¤ë¡¿¥¹¥È¥ì¥¹ from ²òÊü¤¹¤ë¡¿¼«Í³¤Ê ²á·ã¤Ês and toxins.
You¡Çll need: 1 cooked chicken breast sliced, 1 red pepper, 100g blueberries, 200g ¹õ¿Í¡¿¥Ü¥¤¥³¥Ã¥È grapes, 100g pickled red cabbage, 100g silverskin onions, small ˸¤²¤ë¡¿Ë¡ÄÊÛ¸î»Î¶È of high-¼Á dark chocolate, half a ´Å¤¤ potato and £´È¾´ü/4ʬ¤Î1 of butternut squash roasted in olive oil for 45 mins then cubed. Thyme and flowers to garnish.
KETO
Laura said you'll need?plate that is high in good fats, has ²º·ò¤Ê protein and low carbs, when ¤Ë°ú¤Â³¤¤¤Æ a keto diet?
Those who follow a Keto diet (designed to help your ÃÄÂΡ¿»àÂΠdz¤ä¤¹ fat for dzÎÁ and ±ç½õ¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë Éé¤ï¤»¤ë loss) need a plate that is high in good fats, has ²º·ò¤Ê protein and low carbs.
You¡Çll need: Bresaola rolled and °ÂÁ´¤Ê¡¦Êݾڤ¹¤ëd with cocktail stick, half Ĺ¡¤Î¨¤¤¤ë of cauliflower roasted for 45 mins, half Ĺ¡¤Î¨¤¤¤ë broccoli roasted for 20 mins, baby spinach, pistachios, walnuts, 2 boiled eggs £´È¾´ü/4ʬ¤Î1d, half a green and red pepper, 80g large green olives, 6 slices of goat¡Çs cheese.
MENOPAUSE
Laura ¼¨º¶¤¹¤ës?a mixture of phytoestrogen-rich foods, fibre, calcium and omega 3s when ¤Ë°ú¤Â³¤¤¤Æ a diet Í±×¤Ê to the menopause
This plate is a mixture of phytoestrogen-rich foods to help balance hormone levels, fibre to balance ·ì sugars, calcium for bone strength, omega 3s to lubricate the ¶¦Æ±¤Îs and turmeric for inflammation.
You¡Çll need: Edamame beans, two types of cheese, oat cakes, sliced cucumber and celery, celery leaves, almonds, walnuts, fresh salmon, turmeric hummus (shop-bought or use the recipe below) and ¤ʾ¶É.
To make the hummus, drain and rinse 2 tins of chickpeas (leaving some aside for decoration). Put in a food ²Ã¹©¶È¼Ô along with 2 cloves of peeled garlic, 6 tbsp tahini, 6 tbsp olive oil, the zest and juice of a lemon, 1 tsp ground turmeric, ? tsp ground nutmeg and pinch of salt. Whiz together.
TEN-A-DAY
Laura ÌÀ¤é¤«¤Ë¤¹¤ë¡¿Ï³¤é¤¹d it's possible to create a plate filled with the ɬ¿Ü¤Îs for ¾ÃÈñ¤¹¤ëing ten-a-day
Forget five-a-day ¡½ ¸¦µæ now ¼¨º¶¤¹¤ës eating ten-a-day is the best way to live longer.
You¡Çll need: 2 carrots ºï¸º¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ë into batons, 8 cherry tomatoes, 2 kiwi fruit, red/green peppers, 10 strawberries, 1 stick celery chopped, 40g spinach, cucumber in °ìÏ¢¤Î²ñµÄ¡¢¸ò¾Ä¡¿´°À®¤¹¤ës and batons, guacomole and beetroot hummus (whiz cooked beetroot in a blender with 2 tins of chickpeas, 2 cloves garlic, 6 tbsp tahini, 6 tbsp olive oil, juice and zest of 1 lemon and pinch of salt).
BLOW-THE-DIET
Laura said a?mix of ·Ú¿©s in co-ordinating and c omplementary colours is ¹Âç¤Ê¡¿Â¿¿ô¤Î¡¿½ÅÍ×¤Ê for movie nights?
¡ÆThese are ¹Âç¤Ê¡¿Â¿¿ô¤Î¡¿½ÅÍ×¤Ê for movie nights,¡Ç says Laura. ¡ÆYou need a mix of ·Ú¿©s in co-ordinating and complementary colours.¡Ç
you¡Çll need: Strawberry bon bons, pink fudge, lemon ̸±« Çö¾Æ¤¥Ñ¥ó¡¿ÁǾÆÆ«´ïs, pear ¸º¾¯¡Ê¤¹¤ë¡Ës, strawberry and cream truffles, chocolate pretzels, cupcakes, chocolate buttons, Æý¤Î ˸¤²¤ë¡¿Ë¡ÄÊÛ¸î»Î¶È Cookies ¡ÆN Cream Bites, pink and yellow Squashies and marshmallows.
grazecheshire.co.uk
Interview: Claudia Connell
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