Tannenbaum Cheese Board Border (Printable View)

Festive border with triangular cheese slices and grapes for an elegant holiday presentation.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cheese

01 - 8.8 oz semi-firm cheese (such as Gouda, Edam, or Emmental), well chilled

→ Fruit

02 - 5.3 oz small green seedless grapes, washed and thoroughly dried

# How To Make It:

01 - Slice the cheese into thin, triangular pieces approximately 2–2.4 inches long and 0.4 inches wide at the base, resembling stylized pine trees.
02 - Place the cheese triangles along all four edges of the serving platter with points facing outward to mimic pine tree shapes.
03 - Nestle small green grapes between and around the cheese triangles to fill gaps and enhance the tree-like effect.
04 - Continue arranging cheese and grapes until the entire border is complete and visually festive.
05 - Fill the center of the platter with assorted cheeses, charcuterie, crackers, or other desired accompaniments.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It takes just 15 minutes to create something that looks like you spent hours planning it, giving you that perfect balance of impressive yet achievable.
  • There's something genuinely magical about transforming everyday cheese and grapes into a festive border that becomes the conversation starter at any gathering.
  • It's naturally vegetarian and gluten-free, so you're creating something beautiful that works for almost every guest without any fuss.
02 -
  • Cold cheese is non-negotiable—I learned this when I tried to slice room temperature Gouda and ended up with crumbles instead of triangles. The cheese needs to be firm enough to slice cleanly without shattering.
  • Drying your grapes thoroughly makes an enormous difference in how they sit on the board. Even a little moisture makes them roll around and ruins the careful arrangement you've created.
03 -
  • A mandoline slicer set to the thinnest setting can help you create uniformly thin triangular slices if you find knife work intimidating, though a good sharp knife in steady hands is really all you need.
  • If you're making this ahead, keep the cheese and grapes separate in the refrigerator and assemble just before serving—the grapes can release a little moisture that softens the cheese if left in contact too long.
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