Indian Grazing Board Revolution bats for local artisan cheese and desi flavors

A lick of creamy Camembert, followed by a nibble of spicy papdi. Then, dip the roasted garlic naan into the hot Brie. As get-togethers get a homey atmosphere and hosts work on creative, relaxed appetizers, grazing boards are getting increasingly creative, incorporating traditional snacks along with thoughtfully made local produce. Huh. Although people started experimenting with them in the pre-Covid world, the lockdown and subsequent boom in home cooking gave new life to this food trend.

So when Vedika Ramaraj in Bengaluru – tired of sipping sourdough and Dalgona coffee to meet family and friends – wanted to serve up a mix of experimental and familiar flavours, she turned to grazing boards. She planned ahead, sourcing Italian cheeses from Valombrosa Cheese (a cheese-making shop at Gwalbert Bhavan in Bengaluru run by monks), picked up savory bites from her neighborhood mom-and-pop store, and made her own chutney. She looked to Instagram and Pinterest for arrangement ideas, and lo and behold, she was a pro—somehow by her standards.

Vedika isn’t the only one dipping into grazing boards; In fact, the trend has made its way into many homes across India, with countless permutations and combinations, as does home entertainment.

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Always fascinated by the small but satisfying fixation of a grazing board, Chef Karishma Sakhrani – a finalist in the fourth season (2015) MasterChef India And they’re a great way to reminisce about trips across Europe – while most of us continue to stay at home, waiting out the pandemic – and the director of culinary and operations at Acme Hospitality, Mumbai. “Cheeseboards can be relaxing to put together; and when people come over, they can enjoy it at their own pace, unlike a hot dish.” As the alternative name ‘nibble boards’ suggests, it’s important to have small elements rather than multi-byte components; you want guests to dive into everything while getting together.

Blogger Kiran A of Mirchi Tales says she used to put up cheeseboards at home for her friends in Melbourne, Australia, but she found that the guests felt waterlogged while digging. She explains, “I began to see how I could incorporate familiar components to make them more appealing; To replace crackers for that crunch factor, I found pieces of naan, hot chips, papdi And bhel puri Good work. I have also used mango and other chutneys to change the taste.”

The basic four principles of salt, fat, acid, and heat apply to homegrown cheeseboards, so the permutations and combinations for these spreads are endless. New York-based Palak Patel, blogger at The Chutney Life, recommends hakka noodles, spice-roasted cashews and bite-sized samosas, while Kashmiri Nath from Guwahati prefers kebabs for some succulent protein. Other indigenous grazing boards featured on social media include Methi Puri, Makhanagram, Cumin puff, Khakhra, pickled onions, vadialu, chekkalu and mix.

cheese factor

Chef Karishma recommends three to five cheeses as it helps to choose a different cheese for a different reason. She suggests, “For something soft and creamy, try either goat’s cheese, boconcini or burrata balls. For something edgy, try ripe cheddar. Orange cheddar and Gouda are good neutralizers. Make your own flavored cheese. It also saves money; for example, you can chop up some simple feta and toss it in olive oil and chili flakes. I do this with bocconi and let it marinate for a while. “

A country cheeseboard by Chef Karishma Sakhrani with a burrata ball and edible flowers. photo Credit: Karishma Sakhrani

She admits that it sounds intimidating at first — which is why the trend is slowing down — but says that once you get going, it’s easy. And with the widest availability of specialty cheeses and cured meats across India, thanks to platforms like Meetigo, Gourmason, The Gourmet Box, Eleftheria Cheese, Living Food Company, Cleaver & Block, Framrose Deli and Black Vanilla Gourmet, you can cherry-pick. Can do whatever strikes your fancy. Among these, The Gourmet Box, Gourmason, Eleftheria Cheese and Black Vanilla Gourmet do custom and set grazing boards.

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For those wanting to test out some unique varieties, Chennai’s The Farm offers a Tommy de Semancheri (made from raw cow’s milk), Himalayan Cheese from Himachal has a great Garlic Nettle Gouda, Hyderabad’s Sage Farms a creamy Bocconi and makes an indulgent burrata, Ooty’s Acre Wild makes a great Monterey Jack, Bengaluru’s Begum Victoria has a fine Cheddar, Mumbai’s The Spotted Cow Fragerie makes a sumptuous black truffle brie, while Chennai’s Kasey’s makes a turmeric And the pepper is coated with crusted feta and a cheddar. milagai podi.

board art

Putting together a cheeseboard is also a one-of-a-kind art experience, where you mix textures and colors. Start with a neutral and solid base, suggests Kiran. Don’t feel pressured to choose too big because you have to work with the entire space. For a more nested and festive look, opt for trays with high-raised edges in a hexagonal or rhombus shape, like the one set by Delhi-based Aayushi Jain’s Grazias with Love, or Hyderabad-based Sonal Goyal’s Grazias Platters for milestone birthdays. Choose like number shape or anniversary.

A desi cheeseboard with mango chutney and spicy peanuts prepared by Kiran A. photo Credit: Kiran A / Mirchi Tales

Pay attention to the height as well as the shapes. Kiran proposes, “Use a few small bowls of different sizes for things like fruit, loose cheeses, and crunchy bites. You can move things around by using the bowls when you’re arranging.” The different heights as well as sizes provide contrast; small nibbles look good next to a large block of cheese. SweetWatch household favorites like Barfi, black pudding And Black Berries. By opting for sweets, the acid will cut through the fatty flavor of the cheese, so diners will feel less full after a few bites.

For a textural variety, a dipping sauce may also be considered; Chef Karishma recently launched a range of sauces with Wonder Foods and Farms, including a Creamy Toum, a Fresh Garden Pesto and a Smoked Chili Oil that works well with cheeses and Indian crunchy snacks.

“The color variation is also a lot of fun visually, as the beige palette tends to cut cheesy and crunchy. So things like green or red grapes and apples and plums are ideal,” says Kiran. Additionally, feel free to brighten up the layout with a sprinkle of parsley, dill or edible flowers such as papaya flowers, violas, moringa flowers, lotus or even banana flowers. But avoid these add-ons.

…or just get one delivered

If all this sounds like a lot of effort, fear not. Inspired by the grazing potential of local spice blends, more homegrown businesses have emerged such as Graze With Love in Delhi, Nashita Nasir’s Platter Mi Amor in Chennai and Grazias Platters in Hyderabad. They offer both sweet and savory dishes but make sure to have a desi touch, be it in the form of mint chutney, Makhana , Gujiya Or Thandai moose

A homegrown grazing board created by Delhi based Graz With Love. photo Credit: Graz with love

Most grazing board-makers stick to local orders to keep all ingredients fresh and physically intact with no worry of handling delivery.

Responding to Delhi’s bustling social scene, Graz With Love averages 70 to 80 orders per festive month and 40 to 50 orders in a regular month. Founder Ayushi says, “For festivals, Grease With Love adapts flavors to suit the occasion; For example, during Holi, we prepared Thandai Mousse Cup. We’re just a year old, and there are five people on site and the company outsources the delivery. ”

Delivering to Noida and Faridabad as well, they have also introduced grazing tables, which are a nascent trend in the country; She recently arranged one for an art show of 150 guests and as per the COVID-19 food safety protocol, she arranged two servers to eliminate cross-contamination.

Sonal, a young business, shut down Grazias Platters during the 2021 lockdown, when Hyderabad was slowly waking back up; She sees about 15 local orders a week from customers aged 25 to 40, but recently, she’s seen more customers aged 50 and over entertaining the little get-together at home. With Diwali approaching, she is already getting eight to 10 orders of grazing boards a day in the multi-day festival. He is optimistic for other festivals like Sankranti.

When making or ordering homegrown grazing boards you ultimately want maximum impact with minimum effort. Of course, what you drink with it also matters. Make the most of happy hour with a martini or two or a palate-cleansing iced tea or lemonade to cut the fatty flavors. Bon appetit!