With the holidays fast approaching, the season of entertaining has officially kicked off! And if you’re anything like me, you always want to make sure your guests are kept satisfied before, during and after the dinner party. If you’ve been searching for the perfect go-to appetizer for your next soiree, look no further. There’s nothing more reliable (or delicious!) than a cheese board. With autumn now among us, and Thanksgiving right around the corner, it’s the perfect time to create a fall harvest-inspired platter. Trust me, once you create this sumptuous seasonal spread, you’ll never want to entertain without it!

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With the abundance of fall flavors all around, what better way is there to take advantage of the seasonal produce? As a farmers’ market regular, you can catch me scoping out the fresh selection year-round. When creating my cheese board, I always aim to make a balanced platter that offers a wide range of options. While a savory selection of cheese is of course the most important part, let’s start with our assortment of sides.

Fresh Fruit

Perhaps the most harvest-inspired element, this is where the seasonal feel really emanates. During this time of year, I love to mix red apples and grapes with juicy pears, pomegranates and cranberries, which are all in their peak. The tartness of the pomegranates and cranberries pairs wonderfully with the sweetness of the other fruits, and they all create a beautiful burgundy backdrop – the perfect fall color palette! To ensure that my fruit stays preserved until serving time, I place everything in the Thermador 36-Inch Built-In Fresh Food Column. With its removable and luxurious soft-close Delicate Produce Bins, there’s ample space for my garden-fresh fruit. Plus, with an all-new railing system that enables bins to be placed anywhere on the refrigerator door, my items are easily visible and accessible.

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Nuts and Seeds

You can select your favorite crunchy companions, but during autumn I opt for a mix of almonds, cashews, candied walnuts and pumpkin seeds. For an extra punch, I like to roast them with warm spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg, along with fresh honey and rosemary. For the perfect, evenly browned bake, I turn to the Thermador 30-Inch Professional Series Combination Oven. With the industry-leading Speed Convection system, my cooking time is reduced by 30%, allowing me to quickly get back to entertaining my guests. It’s a win-win for everyone!

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Cheese

Now for the best part – the cheese! When assembling a cheese board, I typically choose four types – an aged cheese, a firm cheese, a soft cheese and a blue cheese – with my favorite combination being aged white cheddar, mimolette, goat cheese and gorgonzola. For an autumn-inspired spread, I particularly love the inclusion of the mimolette, as the burnt-orange hue perfectly complements the color palette of the season. To begin arranging, place the cheeses down on the board first. Next, assemble all your other sides around them – you can even hang things off the board or tuck items into each other for an extra bountiful look. Add some olives, cured meats, crackers and breadsticks, and voila! You’ve got the perfect platter ready to be served.

Finally, what good is a cheese board without wine? With the Thermador 24” Built-In Wine Preservation Column, I can rest assured knowing therein lies the perfect pairing. With the capacity for 98 bottles and three separate zones for precise temperature control, I have more flexibility for storing different vintages at their optimum temperatures. All that’s left to do is enjoy with your guests!

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Now that I’ve given you my tips for creating the perfect fall harvest cheese board, let us know how you are taking advantage of the delicious seasonal produce in the comments section below or on our social pages: www.facebook.com/thermador@ThermadorHome and @Thermador.