Tree-Shaped Meat and Cheese Plate

by Dorothy Reinhold on December 27, 2017


Print This Post Print This Post A Tree-Shaped Meat and Cheese Platter is fun for holiday snacking and appetizers, or for anytime you want to *spruce* up your charcuterie tray. (See what I did there?)

Winter is really just beginning, so we have a whole season to celebrate the tree.

We tried a Tree-Shaped Meat and Cheese Plate for our Christmas appetizer, and it was a big hit!

Easy Tree-Shaped Meat and Cheese Plate on ShockinglyDelicious.comTo make it, simply take your favorite meats, cheese and fruits, and arrange them in a tree shape. You could do them in stripes, as we have here, or devise your own pattern. I think diagonal would look nice, or even a mish-mash, and then use something bright (a lighter grape?) to act as the ornaments on the tree?)

There’s no real “recipe” for this, but I’ll share the plan, so you have a sense of what to do. (The Wasabi horseradish cheddar cheese was the surprise hit of the plate!)

Tree-Shaped Meat and Cheese Plate: Whether for the holidays or any day, it's fun to easy to create a meat and cheese plate in the shape of a tree. Any charcuterie board is twice as festive if you *spruce* it up! (See what I did there?)  #meatandcheeseplate #charcuterieboard #appetizerplate #shockinglydelicious #holidaycheeseboard

Are you ready to go? It’s so fun.

Tree-Shaped Meat and Cheese Plate

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: Serves variable numbers depending on how big your tree is!

Tree-Shaped Meat and Cheese Plate

A Tree-Shaped Meat and Cheese Platter is fun for holiday snacking and appetizers, or for anytime you want to spruce up your charcuterie tray. (See what I did there?)

Ingredients

  • Cheese assortment
  • Jarlsberg (a Swiss cheese)
  • Smoked Gouda (creamy and smoky)
  • Wasabi Horseradish Cheddar (a little nippy, but not too hot!)
  • .
  • Meats and Fruits
  • Grapes (I used Red Flame Grapes here, but any color will do)
  • Medjool Dates (or use dried figs)
  • Summer Sausage (you could use salami or pepperoni or whatever is your favorite cured meat)
  • .
  • Trunk
  • Medjool Dates (or use dried figs or whole skin-on almonds)

Directions

  1. Cut up the meats and cheeses into bite-sized cubes. I err on the smaller size if this is a pre-dinner appetizer. You don't want everyone full on cheese before the main course! If it is a hearty appetizer for a cocktail party, I might make them a little bigger. Suit yourself.
  2. You may cut the meats and cheeses and dates a day ahead and store them in tightly closed containers in the refrigerator. We were driving to our party, so we brought the containers and quickly assembled the tree there. Otherwise, we feared the pieces would roll all around in the car and escape the plate and get everywhere.
  3. Arrange them in a tree shape. Take note of your plate shape and size and shape your tree accordingly. A long plate like I have here can handle a tall tree; a square or shorter plate gets a squattier tree. Really, though, it is all the prerogative of the assembler/artist.
  4. Finish by snipping a piece of summer sausage into a star shape, and add some chopped dates or dried figs for the trunk.
  5. Voila!
  6. Variations:
  7. SIZE: You can make this tree any size you like, to serve 2 or 22. Just take a guess at how much meat and cheese you will need...this is not science. Have fun!
  8. COLOR: You could color coordinate the tree. All light colored cheeses, for example, or cured meats of a certain look.
  9. OMBRE: You could ombre the tree (graduate the colors from lightest to darkest, all in a color theme so the colors shade into each other). Wouldn't that be pretty? It would also be a challenge, so perhaps is only for the OCD minded.

Notes

Recipe source: I am indebted to Carrie of the Frugal Foodie Mama blog for sparking the idea for this!

https://www.shockinglydelicious.com/tree-shaped-meat-and-cheese-plate/

Isn’t that easy? I do hope you will try it yourself!

Katie Reinhold arranges Tree-Shaped Meat and Cheese PlateMy daughter assembled it at the party site in about 10 minutes.

areyoupinningIf you like this idea and want to save it, pin the image below to your Pinterest board.

Tree-Shaped Meat and Cheese Plate: Whether for the holidays or any day, it's fun to easy to create a meat and cheese plate in the shape of a tree. Any charcuterie board is twice as festive if you *spruce* it up! (See what I did there?)  #meatandcheeseplate #charcuterieboard #appetizerplate #shockinglydelicious #holidaycheeseboardtree-shaped-food-for-holidays-on-shockinglydelicious-comAnd if you like the idea of tree-shaped food, check out my collection of Tree-Shaped Recipes, which will delight your family for any course!

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{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }

Carole from Carole's Chatter December 12, 2019 at 11:33 am

Fab and fun

Reply

Lindsay Cotter December 20, 2018 at 6:20 pm

Such an easy and festive holiday appetizer!

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Toni | Boulder Locavore December 20, 2018 at 3:38 pm

This is really a cute idea!!

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Alyssa Brantley December 20, 2018 at 1:33 pm

This is so fun and festive! Perfect for holiday parties!

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Liren | Kitchen Confidante December 19, 2018 at 9:58 pm

I have to find that wasabi cheddar!

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Dorothy Reinhold December 19, 2018 at 11:17 pm

Liren,
You really do! It is astoundingly good!

Reply

Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert December 19, 2018 at 12:24 am

What a fabulous cheese idea! This is so picture-perfect!

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Amy December 18, 2018 at 8:22 am

This is perfect for Christmas!

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Taylor W. December 18, 2018 at 6:00 am

So fun and festive! Plus so easy, too!

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Chrissie Baker December 17, 2018 at 10:25 pm

This is a good idea! Something very unique and colorful. Need to try it out.

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Dee December 17, 2018 at 8:41 pm

How cute! This is a great idea I’ll definitely be trying for my holiday parties!

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Sabrina December 17, 2018 at 5:11 pm

This is such an easy way to put a fun holiday spin on this appetizer!

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Amanda December 17, 2018 at 4:59 pm

I can’t think of a more perfect party treat!!

Reply

Bryan Carey December 31, 2017 at 10:08 am

This looks like a festive way to celebrate or partake in any type of gathering! Most everyone loves meat and cheese, and there is fruit and nuts for the vegetarians and vegans so it’s bound to be party hit!

Reply

Catalina December 28, 2017 at 1:14 pm

This is such a great idea for the party appetizer! My kid will love to help!

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Dorothy Reinhold December 28, 2017 at 8:22 pm

Catalina,
Perfect dish to have kids of all ages help. The bigger ones can cut, and all can arrange.

Reply

Des December 28, 2017 at 9:39 am

This wouldn’t last long as a centerpiece appetizer at my parties.

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold December 28, 2017 at 8:23 pm

Des,
Everyone oohs and aaahs over it, and then they decimate it!

Reply

Jacque Hastert December 28, 2017 at 9:03 am

This would even work for NYE. I love this idea.

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Dorothy Reinhold December 28, 2017 at 8:23 pm

Jacque,
Oh YES, perfect for NYEve or any get-together! Basically, people are charmed by the tree shape!

Reply

Krista December 28, 2017 at 7:53 am

I love this! I could eat that whole platter by myself!

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Dorothy Reinhold December 28, 2017 at 8:24 pm

Krista,
I think 2=3 people at our party DID!

Reply

Miryam Quinn Doblas December 27, 2017 at 2:20 pm

Such a great idea as a party appetizer. Perfect for new year’s!

Reply

Allison Miller December 27, 2017 at 1:35 pm

This is such a cute way to present the cheese and meat plate. Easy appetizers for the win!

Reply

Dorothy Reinhold December 28, 2017 at 5:49 am

Allison,
This appetizer disappeared quickly! Soon enough, we had no tree left!

Reply

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