Zen Balance Artful Platter - Brilliant Crust

# What you'll need:

→ Fresh Produce

01 - 8 slices cucumber

02 - 8 baby carrots

03 - 8 radishes, halved

→ Cheese

04 - 2.1 oz goat cheese, shaped into small rounds

→ Crackers

05 - 8 gluten-free crackers

→ Nuts

06 - 1.1 oz roasted almonds

→ Fruit

07 - 8 seedless red grapes

→ Garnish

08 - Fresh herbs (e.g., chives, dill), for decoration

# How To Make It:

01 - Select a long, clean wooden or slate board at least 24 inches in length and place it on a flat surface.

02 - At one end of the board, create a neat pile using half of each ingredient beginning with a base of cucumber slices and gluten-free crackers, then add baby carrots, radishes, grapes, goat cheese rounds, and half the roasted almonds.

03 - At the opposite end, replicate the arrangement precisely with the remaining ingredients to form a symmetrical matching pile.

04 - Decorate each pile with several sprigs of fresh herbs to enhance color and aroma.

05 - Leave the middle section of the board empty to highlight the contrast and visual harmony between the two ends.

06 - Present the board promptly, inviting diners to enjoy the artistic balance before tasting.

# Expert Tips:

01 -

It forces you to slow down and actually taste each element instead of mindlessly grazing.
Impressing someone requires zero cooking skills, just an eye for arrangement and fresh ingredients.

02 -

Room temperature matters—take your goat cheese out fifteen minutes early or it'll crack when you shape it, and the whole intentional effect falls apart.
Symmetry is a constraint, not a rule; slight variations in angle or placement actually make it feel more human and less sterile.

03 -

Chill your board in the fridge for ten minutes before plating; cool surfaces keep vegetables crisp longer and add a subtle sensory layer.
The trick to impressing someone isn't fancy ingredients—it's restraint and intention, which this format highlights perfectly.

Zen Balance Artful Platter (Print)