Checkerboard Chalet Cheese Appetizer (Printable)

A visually stunning arrangement of cheese cubes and cured meats built into a playful chalet design.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cheeses

01 - 7 oz sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 0.6 inch cubes and slices
02 - 7 oz Swiss cheese, cut into 0.6 inch cubes and slices

→ Meats

03 - 7 oz smoked ham, cut into 0.6 inch cubes and slices
04 - 7 oz salami, cut into 0.6 inch cubes and slices

→ Garnishes & Extras

05 - 16 small fresh chives (for logs or roof beams)
06 - 8 cherry tomatoes, halved (optional, for decoration)
07 - 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley (for greenery)
08 - 8 toothpicks or short skewers (for stability)

# Directions:

01 - Cut all cheeses and meats into uniform 0.6 inch cubes and slices to ensure a precise checkerboard pattern.
02 - Arrange cheese and meat slices alternately in a tight 4x4 grid on a large serving platter, showcasing the checkerboard effect.
03 - On one side of the base, stack alternating cheese and meat cubes in a square footprint (four cubes per layer) for 3 to 4 layers, securing with toothpicks or skewers for stability.
04 - Position cheese slices or cubes at an angle atop the chalet layers, securing them with chives fashioned as decorative beams to simulate a roof.
05 - Decorate the chalet surroundings with halved cherry tomatoes and parsley to mimic a garden or pathway.
06 - Serve immediately, providing small forks or cocktail picks for convenient self-service.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's a showstopper that takes only 30 minutes and requires zero cooking, meaning you can focus on being the host instead of being stuck in the kitchen.
  • The combination of sharp cheddar, Swiss cheese, smoked ham, and salami creates this salty, tangy balance that pairs perfectly with wine and somehow keeps people coming back for one more piece.
  • Building it feels like an adult craft project, and your guests will actually want to watch you assemble it—or better yet, help you stack.
02 -
  • The 1.5 cm measurement matters more than you'd think—too small and your grid feels fussy, too large and the proportions throw off the visual impact.
  • If your stack starts to wobble, a toothpick inserted vertically through the center of the stack is invisible but changes everything about stability.
  • Assemble this no more than two hours before serving, because while the cheese doesn't dry out quickly, the cuts you've made do expose more surface area than usual, and freshness is part of the appeal.
03 -
  • Chill your serving platter for 10 minutes before assembling if your kitchen is warm—everything stays fresher and the cheese slices hold their shape better.
  • If you're transporting this to a party, assemble the checkerboard and chalet separately, then put them together once you've arrived so the structure stays intact.
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