A beautiful cheese and crackers plate is my go-to appetizer for pre-dinner snacking any time of year, but much like I change my tabletops seasonally, I find it equally as important to update this presentation as well. While I loved using my dark wood Nambé cheese block for winter-time hostessing {see here}, come Spring I try to lighten things up a bit with stark white platters, bright pops of garnish, fresh fruit accents, and of course a seasonally appropriate array of cheeses.

To create this beautiful Spring-time platter, I started with a porcelain white rectangular plate {shop more great options below} and laid a mixture of green garnish as my base, from fresh rosemary to arugula. Then for the cheese selection I really try to stay away from any intense flavored or ‘stinky’ cheeses during the Spring, ie. Bleu cheese or Taleggio. Instead I like a lighter fare of Parmigiano Reggiano, Manchego, and for spreading, goat cheese {here I chose two soft cheeses, goat’s milk “crottins” in plain and garlic & herb}. Since the soft cheeses are great for spreading I serve them with more than one cracker option, here I chose both water crackers and brioche crackers. Then rather than nuts and dried fruits, I like to add fresh fruit to my Spring platters, like a bowl of blueberries for sprinkling on top of the cheese sandwiches!

The look wouldn’t be complete without a bright bouquet to accompany it. Get some ideas for pretty Spring flower arrangements from this Fashionable Hostess Post, or as seen here, a simple cluster of English Garden Roses and Anemones in peach colors is stunning. Then lastly, who doesn’t love adorable cocktail napkins in stripes and prints! {I found these at Marshalls!}

Lastly, looking to pair back to wine? I love these tips from SonomainSpring.com for your wine and cheese pairings! 1. White wines match best with soft cheeses and stronger flavors. 2. Red wines match best with hard cheeses and milder flavors. 3. Fruity and sweet white wines {not dry} and dessert wines work best with a wider range of cheeses. 4. The more pungent the cheese you choose, the sweeter the wine should be.