2022 March Board Book

The mission? Create a holiday centerpiece but make it delicious. Real California Milk partner Jessica Lawrenz, Founder of Monger, Mold and Milk, took the challenge with the California Cheese Centerpiece, the ultimate in edible entertaining with a beautiful display of Real California Cheeses, salami, fruits and vegetables arranged with fragrant herbal garnishes in a display sure to impress family and friends. As a bonus, it creates less waste than a stand-alone floral bouquet (and you’ll have less to clean up!). Find additional cheese displays and holiday recipes at realcaliforniamilk.com. INGREDIENTS : Variety of firm to medium (semi-firm) Real California Cheeses (find them here: https://www.realcaliforniamilk.com/cheese-makers) Shown in arrangement: • Real California Dry Jack cheese wedges

• Real California Wine-soaked Cheddar wedges • Real California Triple Cream cheese wedges • Salumi or salami, made into roses Fresh fruits and vegetables:

• Mini clementines or kumquats • Grapes or currants (both shown) • Fresh figs • Gooseberries • Cucamelons or mini cucumbers • Cherry tomatoes (tiger stripe tomatoes shown but any small tomato works) Garnishes:

• Bay leaf stems • Olive leaf stems • Rosemary branches • Lavender stems • Sage bunches • Chive or garlic flowers or any edible flower with a stem Tools and Materials: • Circular tray or plate • Craft or flora foam (half sphere shape that is at least 1-inch smaller in diameter than your tray) • Double-sided tape • Plastic wrap • Toothpicks, U-shape bamboo toothpicks (optional) • Cookie cutter shapes (optional) DIRECTIONS: 1. Cover foam in plastic wrap to protect food from making contact with the foam. 2. Use double-sided tape to secure the foam to the tray. 3. Now you can start assembling the centerpiece. Start from the bottom and work your way up to the top of the sphere.