Stormy Sea Appetizer (Printable)

Wavy charcoal crackers with smooth goat cheese and fresh dill on a dark blue serving slate.

# Ingredient List:

→ Crackers

01 - 18-24 charcoal or squid ink wavy-shaped crackers

→ Cheese

02 - 5.3 oz fresh goat cheese (chèvre), softened
03 - 1 tablespoon heavy cream (optional)

→ Garnish

04 - Fresh dill fronds or edible flowers (optional)

# How to Make:

01 - Lay the wavy grey crackers in overlapping rows on a dark blue slate or serving platter to mimic ocean waves.
02 - Whip the goat cheese with heavy cream, if using, until smooth and spreadable.
03 - Using two teaspoons or a piping bag, dollop small mounds of the whipped goat cheese atop the crackers to resemble whitecaps.
04 - Top each cheese mound with a sprig of dill or a small edible flower, if desired.
05 - Present the assembled crackers promptly for optimal freshness.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Takes 15 minutes but looks like you spent all afternoon thinking about presentation.
  • The visual drama gets people talking before they even taste it, which honestly feels like half the battle of entertaining.
  • Vegetarian, elegant, and somehow feels fancy enough for a dinner party but easy enough for a random Tuesday snack board.
02 -
  • Goat cheese that's too cold will crack when you try to spread it; too warm and it melts into nothing—room temperature really is the sweet spot.
  • Charcoal crackers are worth hunting down at specialty stores because regular crackers completely miss the visual magic of this dish, and honestly, half the fun is the presentation.
03 -
  • The quality of your goat cheese matters more than you'd expect; a creamy, buttery chèvre will taste infinitely better than a chalky one.
  • If you're serving outdoors or the weather is warm, keep everything on a bed of ice beneath the serving slate to prevent the cheese from softening too quickly.
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