Checkerboard Chalet Cheese Meat (Printable)

A visually stunning checkerboard base of cheeses and cured meats topped with a playful stacked chalet.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Cheeses

01 - 7 oz sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 0.6 inch cubes and slices
02 - 7 oz Swiss cheese, cut into 0.6 inch cubes and slices

→ Meats

03 - 7 oz smoked ham, cut into 0.6 inch cubes and slices
04 - 7 oz salami, cut into 0.6 inch cubes and slices

→ Garnishes & Extras

05 - 16 small fresh chives (for logs or roof beams)
06 - 8 cherry tomatoes, halved (optional, for decoration)
07 - 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley (for greenery)
08 - 8 toothpicks or short skewers (for stability)

# Directions:

01 - Cut all cheeses and meats into consistent cubes and slices, approximately 0.6 inches, ensuring uniformity for the checkerboard design.
02 - Arrange cheese (cheddar, Swiss) and meat (ham, salami) slices alternately on a large serving platter in a 4x4 grid, fitting pieces tightly to create a defined checkerboard pattern.
03 - On one side of the base, stack alternating cheese and meat cubes in layers of 4 per layer, building up 3 to 4 layers. Use toothpicks or short skewers to stabilize as necessary.
04 - Place cheese slices or cubes at an angle atop the stacked layers to form a roof, securing decorative chive sticks as beams to enhance the chalet appearance.
05 - Surround the chalet with halved cherry tomatoes and sprigs of flat-leaf parsley to resemble garden elements or pathway scenery.
06 - Present immediately with small forks or cocktail picks for easy guest access to individual portions.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It looks like it took hours but comes together in thirty minutes, making you look far more impressive than you actually worked.
  • The checkerboard base is endlessly customizable with whatever cheeses and cured meats you have on hand, so it flexes with what's in your fridge.
  • Guests actually interact with it, picking and plucking pieces with genuine delight instead of just grabbing something and moving on.
02 -
  • Cut everything the exact same size—even slightly off cubes will throw off your tower's balance and make the checkerboard look sloppy.
  • Room temperature cheese is your friend here; cold cheese from the fridge can crack or shatter when you're cutting or stacking, so let everything sit out for 10 minutes first.
  • The toothpicks are not optional if your chalet is taller than three layers; gravity is real, and nobody wants their tower collapsing during a party.
03 -
  • Assemble this no more than 30 minutes before serving—cheese softens and meats can start to dry out if left too long in room temperature air.
  • Keep a small bowl of room-temperature water nearby while assembling so you can moisten your fingers if the cheese starts sticking; it makes cutting and stacking infinitely easier.
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