Pink Petal Watercolor Wash (Print Version)

Delicately layered pink platter featuring meats, cheeses, fruits, and veggies for stylish spring gatherings.

# What You'll Need:

→ Charcuterie

01 - 3.5 oz prosciutto, thinly sliced and shaped into small roses
02 - 3.5 oz mortadella, thinly sliced

→ Vegetables

03 - 6 to 8 small pink radishes, thinly sliced
04 - 1 watermelon radish, thinly sliced
05 - 1 small cooked beet, thinly sliced

→ Cheeses

06 - 3.5 oz pink-hued cheese (e.g., port wine Derby, rosé goat cheese, or berry-washed rind cheese), sliced
07 - 3.5 oz brie or camembert, cut into wedges

→ Bread & Crackers

08 - 1 small baguette, sliced (or gluten-free crackers)
09 - 1 package rice crackers

→ Fruits

10 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, halved
11 - 1 cup raspberries

→ Garnish

12 - Edible rose petals or microgreens (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Select a large platter or board to serve as your artistic base.
02 - Roll or fold prosciutto slices into small rose shapes and arrange them evenly across the platter.
03 - Place mortadella slices in loose folded layers beside the prosciutto clusters.
04 - Fan out thin slices of pink radishes, watermelon radish, and cooked beet in overlapping patterns to mimic watercolor brush strokes.
05 - Position slices of pink-hued cheese and brie or camembert wedges in groups to blend visually with meats and vegetables.
06 - Place baguette slices and rice crackers in gentle curves along the edge or intermittently throughout the platter.
07 - Add piles of halved strawberries and raspberries to enhance the pink color palette and introduce natural sweetness.
08 - Optionally scatter edible rose petals or microgreens over the platter to elevate presentation.
09 - Present the assortment promptly to allow guests to enjoy a varied combination of flavors and textures.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It looks like edible art—your guests will think you spent hours in the kitchen when it actually takes just 20 minutes
  • No cooking required, which means you can prep it while chatting with whoever's visiting, making it the perfect stress-free entertaining solution
  • Every bite is a different experience, from salty prosciutto to creamy cheese to bright, juicy berries, keeping things interesting
  • It naturally adapts to dietary needs—skip the meat, swap the cheese, use gluten-free crackers, and it still looks stunning
02 -
  • Slice your vegetables as thinly as you possibly can (a mandoline slicer is genuinely worth using here)—thin slices layer better, look more refined, and are easier to eat
  • Assemble this platter no more than 2–3 hours before serving, and keep it in a cool place; fresh ingredients will soften if left out too long
  • The baguette can be sliced the night before and kept in an airtight container, but add it to the platter just before serving so it doesn't absorb moisture from the vegetables
  • Those prosciutto roses are easier to shape if you use truly paper-thin slices—this is not the place to use regular deli counter thickness
03 -
  • Buy your ingredients from a good butcher and cheese counter where they'll slice things to your preferred thickness—thin slices make all the difference in both appearance and ease of eating
  • The day before, make a shopping list organized by ingredient category, then gather everything at once; this prevents the frustration of missing something crucial at the last minute
  • Chill your platter board in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before arranging if your kitchen is warm; cold surfaces keep everything fresher longer
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