Pin It I'll never forget the first time I saw a cheese board arranged like a work of art at a gallery opening in Copenhagen. The woman presenting it had organized everything by color—deep wines and cherries on one side, golden peppers and aged cheese on the other—and I watched people pause before they even tasted anything, just to take in the visual symphony. That moment stuck with me, and I've been recreating that feeling ever since. The Crimson & Gold Gala is my love letter to that experience, a platter that makes people lean in close before they reach for anything.
I made this for my sister's engagement party last spring, and I watched her fiancé—who claims he doesn't really like cheese boards—reach for a piece of wine-soaked cheese paired with a roasted pepper strip, and suddenly he was asking me how I made the peppers taste so sweet. That's when I knew this arrangement wasn't just about aesthetics; the color blocking actually guides people to flavor combinations they wouldn't necessarily try on their own.
Ingredients
- Fresh sweet cherries, pitted (1 cup): These are your jewels. Buy them ripe but still firm—they're the anchor of your crimson side and their natural sweetness plays beautifully against the wine-soaked cheese. I always pit mine the day before and store them in the fridge so they're chilled and ready.
- Wine-soaked cheese like Drunken Goat or Merlot BellaVitano (120 g / 4 oz), sliced: This is the showstopper ingredient that makes people do a double-take. The wine-infused rind adds a subtle tartness and the color is naturally striking. Slice it the morning of if possible so it's still slightly moist.
- Dried cranberries (1/2 cup): These add textural contrast and a concentrated tart punch. I've learned to soak mine in warm water for five minutes before serving if they seem too hard—it brings out their chewiness.
- Red grapes, halved (1/2 cup): Halving them makes them feel more intentional on the board and easier to grab. The cut surface also catches light beautifully.
- Pomegranate seeds (1/4 cup): These are pure garnish magic. They catch the light, add a juice-burst moment when eaten, and their geometric structure is visually perfect.
- Large yellow bell peppers, roasted, peeled, and sliced (2): The roasting is the secret—it concentrates the peppers' natural sugars and gives them a silky texture. This is non-negotiable. The char marks also add visual depth.
- Aged cheddar or gouda, cubed (120 g / 4 oz): The nuttiness of aged cheese balances the sweetness of the golden side. Cut into generous cubes so they feel substantial and are easy to grab.
- Gold leaf-topped crackers or plain water crackers (12–16): These are your textural bridge and serving vehicle. If using gold leaf, apply it just before serving so it doesn't lose its shimmer.
- Golden raisins (1/4 cup): These add chewy sweetness and their wrinkled texture creates visual interest against the smooth cheese cubes.
- Yellow cherry tomatoes, halved (1/2 cup): These add a fresh, juicy note that keeps the golden side from feeling too sweet. Their slight tartness is essential.
- Edible gold leaf sheets (optional): Only use this if you can find true edible gold—it's an investment in the visual moment. The shimmer is worth it.
- Fresh basil or microgreens: This is your green relief. It prevents the board from feeling one-dimensional and adds a fresh herbal note that ties everything together.
- Olive oil (1 tbsp, for roasted peppers): High quality here makes a difference. It's the final touch that makes the peppers glisten.
- Freshly ground black pepper: Always fresh. It adds a subtle heat that cuts through the richness of the cheese.
Instructions
- Roast your peppers until they're charred and soft:
- Preheat your oven to 220°C (425°F). Place whole yellow bell peppers directly on a baking sheet and listen for them to start popping slightly as they roast. This takes about 10–12 minutes. You want the skins to be deeply blistered and blackened in places—this is where the flavor concentration happens. Once they're out of the oven, transfer them to a bowl and cover it immediately. Let them steam for five minutes. This is crucial because the steam loosens the skin and makes peeling effortless. When you peel them, the skin should come away like paper. Slice them into generous strips, drizzle with olive oil, and season with black pepper. Let them cool completely before plating.
- Apply gold leaf with a gentle, confident hand:
- If you're using edible gold leaf, wait until just before serving. Use the tiny brush usually included with the sheets and apply it with a light touch—gold leaf is gossamer-thin and tears if you're too heavy-handed. The shimmer is part of the magic, so don't skip this step if you have the gold leaf available.
- Build your crimson block with intention:
- On a large platter or board, create a tight arrangement of all your red elements on one side. Start with the wine-soaked cheese slices as your anchor, then nestle the cherries around them. Fill gaps with cranberries, halved grapes, and pomegranate seeds. Think of it like you're painting with color—every element should be visible and the arrangement should feel purposeful, not random. Stand back and look at it. Does it read as deep, jewel-toned luxury?
- Create your golden counterpoint on the opposite side:
- Mirror the energy of the crimson side but with your golden elements. Arrange roasted pepper strips, aged cheese cubes, gold leaf crackers, golden raisins, and halved yellow tomatoes in a similarly tight configuration. Create height variation so the eye travels across it. The two blocks should feel like they're in conversation with each other.
- Finish with green freshness:
- Scatter fresh basil leaves or microgreens across the board, focusing on the spaces between the two color blocks. This green bridge ties everything together and adds a final note of freshness that prevents the board from feeling too heavy.
- Serve immediately and encourage exploration:
- Bring this to the table and watch people's faces. Encourage your guests to mix and match—a sliver of wine-soaked cheese with a roasted pepper strip, a cracker topped with aged cheese and a cherry. The beauty of this arrangement is that it guides people toward flavor combinations they might not have tried on their own.
Pin It There's a moment I always wait for when I serve this platter. It's when someone who arrived thinking it was just another appetizer board catches sight of it from across the room and stops mid-conversation. That pause—that moment of visual recognition before they even taste anything—is when food becomes more than sustenance. It becomes an experience, a memory, a reason to gather.
The Art of the Cheese Board
Cheese boards have taught me that presentation isn't shallow—it's a form of generosity. When you arrange food with intention and color, you're saying to your guests: you matter enough for me to think about this. I learned this the hard way after years of haphazardly throwing cheeses and fruits onto platters. Now I understand that the visual experience shapes the tasting experience. When people see the crimson and gold contrast, they're already primed to experience the flavors differently. They expect sophistication, and they find it.
Wine Pairings That Sing
I serve this with a crisp white wine—a Sauvignon Blanc or unoaked Chardonnay. The acidity cuts through the richness of the cheese and plays beautifully with the roasted peppers' subtle sweetness. If you want to go red, a light, chilled Pinot Noir works too. The wine becomes part of the story of the board, not just a beverage on the side.
Making It Your Own
The magic of this board is that it's a template, not a prescription. If pomegranates aren't in season, use red pear slices. If aged gouda is unavailable, use a sharp cheddar. If edible gold leaf feels too precious, a sprinkle of turmeric powder across a few crackers gives you that warm, golden glow. For a vegan version, use plant-based cheeses and crackers—the color blocking principle remains just as powerful.
- For added luxury, drizzle a small amount of honey over the golden section just before serving. The sweetness amplifies the cheese flavors.
- Make the roasted peppers a day ahead if you need to simplify your day-of timeline. They actually taste better after sitting.
- Keep this board simple in your mind—it's just two colors in conversation. Everything else is just filling in those zones with intention.
Pin It This platter has become my go-to for moments when I want to feel like I'm hosting something special without spending hours in the kitchen. It's the closest I've come to making magic out of simple ingredients and intentional arrangement.
Recipe FAQs
- → How do you prepare the roasted yellow peppers?
Roast whole yellow bell peppers at 220°C (425°F) for 10–12 minutes until skins blister. Steam covered for 5 minutes, peel, seed, slice, then drizzle with olive oil and season with black pepper.
- → Can I substitute the cheese for a vegan alternative?
Yes, plant-based cheeses work well to maintain texture and flavor while keeping the platter vegan-friendly.
- → What is the purpose of gold leaf on the crackers?
Edible gold leaf adds visual luxury and elegance, complementing the bright gold tones of roasted peppers and golden raisins.
- → How should the platter be assembled for best visual impact?
Arrange crimson elements—such as cherries and wine-soaked cheese—in a tight block on one side, and the gold components—roasted peppers and cheese—opposite, creating a striking color contrast.
- → Are there any allergen considerations?
The platter contains milk from cheese and gluten from crackers. Check for sesame or soy in crackers and always verify labels for allergens.