No Festive Gathering in 2018 is truly complete without the presence of a well-curated cheese board (even if it’s vegan!). Every hostess has her own formula for the perfect cheese platter, but what separates the good from the great comes down to the beautiful little details. We asked clean cooking instructor and cookbook author, Pamela Salzman to share a few tips for getting it right. Keep these simple steps in mind and ace your home entertaining game all season…

first, Choose Your Cheeses. When selecting cheeses, I like a variety of texture, milk, shape and flavor.

Pick Your Platter. I like using boards with a lip, if possible, so things don’t spill off when you’re carrying it into the room.  But any board will do, even a large cutting board can make a wonderful serving platter.

Place your Cheeses First. I start making my boards by placing the cheeses down first and spacing them out. Then I fill in the empty space with everything else.

Contain those Condiments. Things that are wet or juicy, like olives in brine, nuts in honey, or marinated vegetables, are better contained in small bowls or leaves (e.g. radicchio or cabbage).

Add Some Color. For little pops of color, I like to dot the board with edible flowers, or sprigs of fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme, fresh basil leaves or sprigs of lavender.

Consider the Temp. I always remove cheeses from the refrigerator at least an hour before serving them since they taste much richer at room temperature.