Cut the white cheddar cheese into 1/2 inch cubes, insert a toothpick into each tube and sprinkle wth chopped walnuts. Drizzle with honey.

In a small bowl, mix the cashews with a sprinkle of curry powder to taste (about 1 tsp curry powder per 10 oz of cashews). 

Arrange your favorite cheeses and grapes into the shape of an Christmas tree.  Add a few pretzels for the trunk, fresh rosemary, thyme and sage leaves throughout to create a look of small branches, and arrange a few grapes for the star! Happy Holidays from Brys Estate!

– What is “charcuterie”?  Charcuterie (shar-cu-tah-ree) is the art of making sausages and other cured, smoked and preserved meats. In addition to sausages, classic charcuterie items include pâté, terrines, galantines, and confit.

– Types of Boards & Cheese Knives:  I prefer a well used wooden board, and I picked mine up at an antique mall for $19.  You can also use slate or ceramic platters.  For a cheese knife I would recommend ones that have a fork tip at the end of the knife – this way you can use the fork tip to pick up items on the board.  You can also cut a piece of kraft or parchment paper to fit the shape of your board.  The paper serves as a liner for easy clean up and also allows you to write the names of the items on the board in pencil so your guests can easily see what each item is.

– Number of Items: the number of items you choose is largely dependent on the number of people you have.  A general rule of thumb for an appetizer sized portion is 3 items for 1-2 people, 5 items for 3-4 people, and 8-10 items for 6-8 people.

– Item Types:  a well rounded board will have an assortment of cheeses, meats, and pickled vegetables.  I usually choose at least one item from each category.  So for a 3 item board I will have a cheese, a meat and a pickled item.  In addition, every board should have bread or crackers (or both) and a spread of some sort.  See item suggestions below.

– Wine Pairing Suggestions:  the items you select for your board will determine which wines pair best.  Sharp cheeses such as white cheddar go well with sweeter style wines or crisp whites, creamy cheeses such as Fontina go well with Pinot Noir, salty or crumbly cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano go well with red wines.  Cured meats typically pair best with red wines.  Experiment and taste – it’s part of the fun!

Thaw spinach in the refrigerator overnight, or in the microwave in 1-minute bursts until defrosted. Drain well using a strainer or squeeze with your hands.

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients well. Transfer the mixture to a small oven-safe baking dish. (At this point the dip can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours until ready to bake and serve.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake the dip uncovered for 30 minutes.

Remove the dip from the oven and add a thin layer of mozzarella cheese on top. Put dip back in the oven and broil until the cheese has melted and is starting to brown.

Serve immediately with blue corn tortilla chips and/or pita chips.