A Late Summer Cheeseboard

This Late Summer Cheeseboard is filled with some of my favorite end-of-summer treats! Fresh figs, marinated zucchini, berries, nectarines, peaches, preserved lemons, and an assortment of cheeses. I always add marinated olives, nuts, grapes, grainy mustard, honey, crackers, breadsticks, and sliced baguette too! Feel free to get creative with what you love – they are SO much fun to put together!

Because just one cheeseboard isn’t enough for one summer, I’m sharing my absolute favorite way to put together a “late summer” board filled with everything I love about the end of the season! The change of seasons is always my favorite, and I so dearly love the transition and the produce that each season brings. Nothing makes me happier than the fact that fall is on its way, and really, cheeseboards in general. So I’m actually GIDDY about this post.

The two most important things that make this a late summer cheeseboard, are the prosciutto wrapped figs (omg drooling) and the marinated zucchini! Also phenomenal. I know a lot of people always have extra zucchini from the garden that needs to be used up, and this is the perfect time to put it to good use.

And FIGS. Omg don’t even get me started! I look forward alllll year to the moment that I can get my hands on those babies. They’re so insanely amazing, gorgeous, not too sweet, and they have the best texture.

And I have approximately 3 more recipes with figs coming in September (maybe more), so get ready!

The marinated zucchini though. SO good. You basically sauté it slowly in a good amount of olive oil and garlic, and then stir in red wine vinegar and fresh basil at the very end. And let it marinate in the goodness that is garlicky infused olive oil and vinegar. And fresh basil! And then smear it on bread with cheese and whatever else your heart desires.

Doesn’t sound too bad, right?

Another fun thing I added to this board were preserved lemons. I got them at the antipasto bar at my local Whole Foods, and they’re SO good. They’re super fun to add to pasta dishes, dips, and seafood, but I thought they’d be a fun addition to this board too!

I also love adding other things from the antipasto bar like marinated olives, peppadew peppers, and anything pickled!

Oh and I also added these cute little local cherry tomatoes with the stems on them. I mean how cute?!

Another must have – honey! I love getting honeycomb suspended in honey because it’s beautiful and delicious, but any kind of honey will do! I also usually add preserves and jams to my cheeseboards, but I didn’t this time because of all the fresh summer fruit!

We’ve got berries, dark sweet cherries, white nectarines, peaches, and grapes!

And figs of course. 😍

So for the cheeses, I went for mozzarella, manchego, merlot soaked parmesan, a smoked blue cheese, garlic and herb goat cheese, triple creme brie, cheddar, and a wesleydale with cranberries.

I always try to choose an assortment of soft, hard, and aged cheeses, and I like throwing a couple fun ones in there. Non-negotiables for me are always cheddar, mozzarella or burrata, and merlot soaked parm. I’m definitely a lover of the more classic cheeses.

But definitely go with what you think your crowd will like! There’s no wrong answer here.

I want to spend the rest of my summer riiiight in this scene.

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Late Summer Cheeseboard

This Late Summer Cheeseboard is filled with some of my favorite end-of-summer treats! Fresh figs wrapped in prosciutto, marinated zucchini, berries, nectarines, peaches, preserved lemons, and an assortment of cheeses. I always add marinated olives, nuts, grapes, grainy mustard, honey, crackers, breadsticks, and sliced baguette too! Feel free to get creative with what you love - they are SO much fun to put together!

Course Appetizer

Author Molly | Spices in My DNA

Ingredients

For the cheeseboard

• mozzarella or burrata
• manchego
• merlot soaked parmesan
• smoked blue cheese
• garlic and herb goat cheese
• triple creme brie
• cheddar
• cranberry studded wensleydale
• fresh figs wrapped in prosciutto
• marinated zucchini (recipe follows)
• salami or any other cured meats
• berries
• cherries
• peaches, nectarines, plums
• grapes
• preserved lemons
• marinated olives and peppadew peppers
• grainy mustard
• honey
• assorted nuts like almonds, cashews, and pistachios
• assorted crackers, breadsticks, and a baguette

For the marinated zucchini

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 medium zucchinis, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Instructions

For the cheeseboard

1. Arrange the cheeses on a board as well as a bowl of the marinated zucchini, and fill in the cracks with the prosciutto wrapped figs, crackers, sliced baguette, nuts, berries, cherries, peaches/nectarines, grapes, and ramekins filled with mustards, honey, and olives/pickled things!

Marinated zucchini

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and add the garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant (you don't want it to brown). Add the zucchini, salt, and pepper, and reduce heat to medium. Sauté for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently, until zucchini has softened. Remove from heat, let cool for 5 minutes, and stir in the red wine vinegar and basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with the cheeses!

marinated zucchini inspired from here.