If you’re in need of a showstopping holiday table centerpiece, get creative by making an edible wreath. The holidays offer the perfect opportunity for fun family activities, and what better way to get your guests and loved ones to bond while assembling a Christmas-inspired cornucopia packed with festive flair and flavor? Forget cooking, extensive preparation or complicated hors d’oeuvres — this kaleidoscopic grazing board is the answer to easy entertaining.
Down To Earth carries a variety of plant-based deli items to help get you started. Try Miyoko’s Creamery classic cream cheese ($8.39), sharp English farmhouse ($14.49), and double cream garlic herb ($12.89). Violife’s Just Like Parmesan ($8.99) has a strong nutty taste and pecorino-like aroma with a slightly crumbly texture hard to believe is free from dairy. For fans of cold cuts, Tofurky’s plant-based deli slices are a great addition to a charcuterie-style platter that come in tantalizing flavors like hickory smoked, roasted turk’y, and smoked ham style (all $6.59). HOPE’s diverse range of hummus in jalapeño cilantro, spicy avocado, Thai coconut curry, and black garlic (all $5.99), is sure to delight and satisfy every palate. Fresh grapes, pomegranate, dried fruits and candied nuts offer a pop of color, texture and nutrients to your wreath. For a unique twist, indulge in the exquisite pairing of dried mango or kiwi fruit, and fresh berries dipped in luscious melted semisweet, dark or white chocolate chips by Enjoy Life ($10.99). If you want to add some sweet treats to your fancy feast, the keiki will love Dandies vegan marshmallows ($6.99).
To create your wreath, use a round board or rustic turntable and place the main ingredients such as deli slices, plant-based cheeses and dips around the outer edges in a circular pattern (use a cookie cutter to shape sliced cheese/meats into desired shapes for added visual appeal). Then, position complementary fruit cut into chunks or slices and place within proximity to the mains; fresh berries pair well with cream cheese and melon bits wrapped in deli slices are a crowd-pleaser, while pear, apple and fig are perfect with sharper cheddars, blue or Parmesan-style cheeses. Scatter bite-size pieces of celery, purple carrots, watermelon radish, cucumbers, jicama, cherry tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower florets near the dips for easy access. Fill in the gaps with the smaller dried fruits, nuts and other nibbles. Skewering your ingredients with colorful toothpicks is a great way to serve antipasto morsels and saves pawing at everything on the board.
No board is complete without a crunchy snack and salty finish. Try UNIQUE’S sourdough craft beer pretzels ($6.29), Mary’s Gone Crackers super seed ($7.19), and Doctor’s in the Kitchen black sesame seed and black pepper seed crisps ($7.49). Finally, garnish your edible wreath with smoky rosemary. Simply singe the sprigs for a few seconds with a blowtorch or a lighter and let its North Pole incense evoke the holiday spirit of joy, love, generosity and kindness.
Lillian Cumic is a vegan chef and author of Hawaii A Vegan Paradise, Tasting Hawaii Vegan Style and Hawaii Washoku. Her column is a guide for plant-based eating on Oahu. Follow Lillian’s journey at lillianvegan.com.
