A cold cut platter makes for a nice "serve yourself" set-up at your next party.
Cold cuts are also known as lunch meat, deli meat and sandwich meat. Anything that has to be sliced and can be found on a sandwich, including cheeses, are considered cold cuts. A cold cut tray also is known by several names, including deli platter and party tray. These trays are a great addition to any party or function because they allow guests to serve themselves unhindered. An attractive party tray says a lot about the host and can go a long way toward making your event more memorable.
Instructions
1. Obtain a nice dish for your cold cut platter. Select a large white rectangular or oval platter with no designs on the plate.
2. Layer the bottom of the platter with lettuce, such as Romaine or Bibb. Cover the bottom completely, leaving about 1 inch uncovered all the way around.
3. Calculate how many cold cuts you need and of what variety. For example, a party of 10 guests requires 2 lbs. of meat and cheese. Choose a variety of deli cuts, purchasing twice as many meats as cheeses. For example, select 1/2 lb. each of roast beef, ham, turkey and salami, along with 1/2 lb. each of Swiss and American cheeses.
4. Layer the meat on the tray. Position the meat in the four corners for a rectangular tray. Fold the meat slices by rolling them like cigars and placing them vertical to the long side of the platter. Leave about an inch of space between meats. Layer the slices of cheese in the middle between the meats. Leave an inch of space between the cheeses and the meats.
5. Place small pieces of fruit between the cold cut sections, if desired. Choose fruits such as red and green grapes, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries or dates.
6. Set the platter in an easily accessible location. Set napkins, tongs, appetizer plates, small slices of bread or crackers, and condiments such as mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup and pickles, near the platter.
Tags: about inch, also known, between meats, cold cuts, cold platter, inch space, inch space between
