We’ve been obsessed with Heirloom LA‘s uniquely wild crostini boards ever since we first laid eyes on one. But making a board into a centerpiece never crossed our minds til we saw this photo and we’ve not been able to shake the genius idea since. The tablescape by Casa de Perrin is beautiful on its own, but Heirloom’s edible centerpiece makes it something completely extraordinary.
There is no one way to get this look, but we’re sharing a few key styling tips below – and a recipe for perfectly crispy herbed toasts to transport all the deliciousness from table to face. Gather even more edible centerpiece inspo from this beauty here.
Walk the Plank. Or at least buy one. You can purchase a long wooden plank (or several shorter ones that can be lined up) at any hardware store for just a few bucks. The goal is to have them fully covered in delicious snacks, so don’t worry too much about how it looks.
Get Cheesy. Choose three to five cheeses with varying textures and colors. Mix hard cheeses with soft cheeses, as well as cheeses with contrasting rinds that you keep intact when slicing. Don’t forget the vegan cheeses too – our favorites come from Kite Hill.
Mix It Up. Include raw, seasonal bite-sized fruits, but don’t make your guests work to eat them. Remove pits from dates, slice your citrus, set free your pomegranate seeds, etc.
Have A Jam Sesh. Incorporate cooked fruits like jam and pate de fruit. See recipe below for a quick and easy persimmon jam.
Be saucy: Don’t be afraid of sauces and dips for boards like these! Paint and dollop them right into the mix or place tiny bowls into the centerpiece as Heirloom has done above.
Consider Delivery. Choose crackers and breads in different shapes and sizes, and then place them throughout your platter as accessories rather than uninteresting heaps. The crispy herbed toast recipe below adds another special – and flavorful – touch to the centerpiece set-up.
Pull It Together. Finish with edible flowers and fresh herbs. Plug them into any spacial gaps on the board. The intended look is one of abundance, so don’t be shy!
Crispy Herbed Toasts
Ingredients:
1 loaf day-old bread
for the herbed olive oil:
1 cup fresh rosemary, leaves only
2 cloves garlic peeled, crushed
1 cup parsley, leaves only
2 sprigs oregano or marjoram
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
To prepare the herbed olive oil, combine all ingredients in blender and pulse until smooth, set aside.
To make the toast, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Slice cold, day old bread with serrated knife as thin as possible. Arrange on a baking sheet so that the bread doesn’t overlap. Evenly coat the tops of each toast with the herbed olive oil blend.
Bake in oven until golden brown and/or crispy in the center of the bread as well. Allow to cool to room temperature before you serve. Keep in airtight container or zip bag for up to 3 days. Re-toast if needed after storage by following the same above procedure.
