While admittedly my family would be perfectly content opening a bag of chips or a ready-made dip with crackers, the most important element of our happy hours are the conversations and connections that take place around the kitchen island or outdoor patio. However, there’s something to be said for elevating those appetizers to encourage a moment in the week that’s even more anticipated. As someone who loves to pour over cookbooks, experiment with other’s recipes and some of my own, it’s welcomed our Friday afternoon happy hours to also be a cherished tradition that now holds an element of surprise as to what I’ll serve at the end of each school and work week.

Even when time allows the bites to be driven by creativity or the simple act of crafting something from scratch, sometimes our family craves the comfort of a simple cheeseboard. My spin is to then find cheeses we indulged in on our trips abroad to prompt a discussion of warm memories from our travels or simply cheeses we all love. Today we’re dabbling in a sampling of comté and goat cheese, two we had on heavy rotation when in France. What makes these cheeses even more special is the board and knife on which I’m serving them.

During our recent vacation to Provence, we had the pleasure of staying with friends. One night we dined in the most lovely and idyllic restaurant where glasses were raised at our table to toast to my husband’s and my 20^th wedding anniversary. At that moment, our friends knowing our love for Friday afternoon happy hours and cheeseboards, thoughtfully gifted us the most beautiful platter and knife as an anniversary gift. We couldn’t wait to put it to use when we returned home! This afternoon’s cheeseboard is now even more special as it not only reminds us of our holidays in France, but tells a story and ignites heart-warming memories!

When plating a cheeseboard, I like to offer two or three cheeses and depending on our appetites and the season, I’ll add some charcuterie, fresh or dried fruit, chocolates and some nuts to ensure there’s something to appeal to all the senses. Any or all would be ambitious to get through in one sitting, so this easily wraps up and can be enjoyed over the next couple of days.

Cheers to the beauty of food and its ability to inspire conversations and memories!