Every Thanksgiving has the same problem. The turkey is "twenty more minutes" for an hour and a half, everyone is starving, and someone puts out a board so big nobody has room for dinner.
The fix is a smaller, smarter board.
The short answer
About 30 grams of cheese a head. Three cheeses, a little fruit, one jar, one cracker. Out 45 minutes before dinner, cleared when the turkey lands.
Go small on purpose
A pre-dinner board is half a normal snack board. You want people nibbling, not loading up.
Three cheeses is plenty. Really.
Keep it local
Thanksgiving is a harvest holiday, so lean into what's made close by.
Brigid's Brie from Gunn's Hill is creamy, mild and a crowd-pleaser across every generation at the table.
Millbank Old Cheddar is for the uncle who only eats cheddar. He'll be thrilled.
Heritage Cheddar from Upper Canada Cheese Company is for the person who asks what's on the board.
Add fall, not filler
Skip the mountain of crackers and charcuterie. Go seasonal instead: sliced apples and pears, a few grapes, and one jar.
What to pour
Something light and bright that won't tire anyone out before dinner. A crisp white, a dry cider or a glass of bubbles.
Save the big reds for the turkey.
Timing
An hour and 45 minutes before dinner: cheese out of the fridge.
45 minutes before: board out.
Dinner's called: clear it away. The leftovers are tomorrow's lunch, and we have plans for those too.
Bringing it as a guest?
A small board is one of the best things you can walk in with. It gives the hosts a break and keeps hungry relatives out of the kitchen. Everyone wins.
Thanksgiving is Monday, October 12. Come see us at 614 Gerrard St E that weekend and we'll help you build it. #AllTheBestStuff