{"id":15027,"date":"2022-11-27T01:28:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-26T15:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/?p=15027"},"modified":"2024-12-06T12:47:54","modified_gmt":"2024-12-06T02:47:54","slug":"best-grazing-board","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/best-grazing-board\/","title":{"rendered":"Use SpikeHour to up your grazing board game"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SpikeHour is the perfect time to power down and platter up! This festive season, when you’re not sure what to bring to the Christmas party, why not use the hour to whip up an insta-worthy grazing board for family and friends. These 7 steps will help you create a beautiful platter that’s sure to knock their socks off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remind me, what’s SpikeHour?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Spike\u2019s our energy-saving<\/a> rewards program. With Spike<\/a>, you get points for hitting your energy-saving goals (forecasts) during peak times (SpikeHours). You can then redeem your SpikePoints for PayPal cash and gift cards \u2013 which you could spend on summer entertaining goodies like punch bowls and fancy champagne flutes. Or maybe you could upgrade your BBQ gear. Whatever\u2019s on your wish list, you\u2019ll be saving money<\/a> on your energy bills and treating yourself to enticing goodies this summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to make a grazing board<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Start with the hero<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Where to begin? With the star of the platter, of course \u2013 cheese! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to cheese, it\u2019s best to opt for a mixture of textures with at least one soft and one hard cheese. There are endless options and combinations, but Brie, Camembert and Fromager d’Affinois are our go-tos when it comes to soft cheese. Gouda, aged cheddar and Gruy\u00e8re are always a hit down the hard end of the spectrum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re adventurous, consider throwing a blue cheese like English Stilton or gorgonzola into the mix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Start with the hero, cheese!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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2. Add your meats<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve settled on your cheeses and placed them on the board, it\u2019s time to add in some mouth-watering selections from the deli.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Salami, prosciutto and mortadella are staples on charcuterie boards for a reason, so if in doubt these are great to add to your platter. If you feel like venturing outside the usual fare, try p\u00e2t\u00e9, terrine or plant-based deli meats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tip: <\/strong>To make your salami look even more delectable, try folding it into quarters and standing it up on the folded edge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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3. Take a dip (or two)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

So, you’ve got the meats down – now it’s onto a favourite, dip! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are too many dips to list, but crowd pleasers include humble Hummus, Greek Tzatziki, spicy capsicum and blue cheese dip with fig and pistachios! It\u2019s great to include a fresh option as well as a luscious creamy dip to help cater to a wide range of tastes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tip:<\/strong> <\/em>Pop your dips into ramekins or small terracotta serving dishes and ditch the packaging. This will help pull the platter together visually.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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4. Pepper in some produce<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Now it\u2019s time to showcase some produce by adding in some vegetables, fruits and pickled items. Pickled produce like baby cucumbers, onions and bell peppers help add zing to the board, while additions like grilled eggplant and artichokes add a hint of sophistication. Family favourites are sundried or semi-dried tomatoes, stuffed bell peppers and olives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finish off this section by showcasing some fruit like fresh figs, dried apricots, grapes, kiwi fruit or fresh berries. When it comes to produce, the supermarket aisles can provide a surprising amount of inspiration!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Add some pickled veges to break up the flavours.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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5. Crunch time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Texture is everything, visually and taste-wise \u2013 crunch adds body to your board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start with a staple \u2013 crackers! There are loads of options from water thins, wafer crackers and lavosh to breadsticks and crostini. Once you\u2019ve got the \u2018base\u2019 sorted, get creative. Add in elements like pistachios, macadamias, peanuts or pretzels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bring it all together with some freshness by adding carrot and cucumber sticks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Love carbs?<\/em> Consider adding some denser options like slices of olive loaf, baguette or other artisan breads. This is a great way to bulk out the board and keep your guests fuller for longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tip:<\/strong> <\/em>If you’re adding breadsticks, stand them up in a small glass jar for dramatic effect.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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6. Sugar, yes please!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most people love a little something sweet after a savoury bite, so to keep the sweet tooths satisfied add a sprinkle of delectable treats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suggestions include chocolate-covered pretzels, bite-sized chocolates like Freddo frogs and Ferrero Rochers, slabs of nougat, truffles, musk sticks, chocolate-covered coffee beans, macarons and choc-dipped strawberries. Stroll down the supermarket candy aisle with an open mind and you\u2019ll find plenty of options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Add a little something sweet.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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7. Finishing touches<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re almost done, it\u2019s time to add some final touches to elevate your platter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finish off your creation by sprinkling on some edible flowers, sprigs of rosemary or thyme, broccolini flowers or even some native gum leaves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tip:<\/strong> <\/em>You can use small produce jars to help garnish your board as well. Stand up bunches of rosemary in them to create an added layer of depth to your platter.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Want to earn rewards for switching off?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Join our energy saving rewards program Spike! It\u2019s free, fun and a great way to adopt new energy-saving habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Play, save and earn with Spike<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Our step-by-step tips will help you create a stunning grazing board that’s sure to impress at your next gathering.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":18918,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[105],"tags":[99,100,134,96],"oe_author":[],"class_list":["post-15027","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-at-home","tag-christmas","tag-diy","tag-recipes","tag-spike"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15027","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/27"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15027"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15027\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18918"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15027"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15027"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15027"},{"taxonomy":"oe_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oe_author?post=15027"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}