I'm taking to this new trend of boards and spreads, it doesn't have to be for just a party anymore. The introduction started with different types of boards, board sizes, and even how to properly clean the boards. Ingredient prep was included which I found was very important for this style of cookbook and the recipes. There were several types of boards from no cook to cook.style boards. I tried several different items in this cookbook and had a fun time with the process. The recipes were easy to follow and the board prep enjoyable. The two boards I tried were instant favorites. Who doesn't love a good taco, the Taco Board took my usual taco night up quite a few notches. The Top Your Own Chili Board helped enhance my regular chili from simple to complex. I love feta cheese so I made the Two Minute Feta Dip and it was a definite hit. This cookbook was a treat for me and I look forward to making more boards and spreads.

Board and Spreads by Yasmin Fair is the newest entry in this popular food trend - and it is a worthy one! The content delivers on the author's promise of "minimal effort, maximum flavor."

The chapters are arranged in a way that makes sense and the Breakfasts and Breads on Boards chapters were of particular interest to me. The photos were impactful and made me want to try to recipes, especially Radish-Feta-Mint Tartine. The Accents & Add-Ons chapter is a difference maker in terms of items that make the boards special. Peppered through the book are tips from the author on caring for boards, ingredients and time savers.

I look forward to using this book as one of my go-tos for handy yummy meals.

Thank you to Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press, Yasmin Fair and NetGalley for the Advanced Copy.

This cookbook begins with Breakfast boards that include the Smorrebrod style lox board and a Broiled fruit board. Then Breads on boards with a no cook Tartine Board and a Pizza toast board then Snaking boards and salads and veggie salad platter with a charred corn salad and a Pan-roasted mushrooms with Parmesan. A Dinnertime board including the taco board, top your own chili board and a kabob board. Take it outside with Crispy chicken bites spread and then Accents and add-on-site with Jammy eggs, quick charred artichokes and dips and spreads. Beautiful photography and fun cookbook with great ideas!

Yes!! More charcuterie and board cookbooks please! The ideas are perfectly delightful, and really got my brain working. I don't think there are many meals as perfect as meals served on a board. They're so immediately decadent and special!

Thank you to Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press and Netgalley for opportunity to read this ARC.
As per requested to not release this review until closer to the publication date. Since I work nights in EMS the next few days I don't want to miss the date for the publication. Publication is on August 23rd Tuesday 2022.

This is a stunning visual wonderful book about how to make charcuterie boards. Which I've always wanted to try my hand at. Since I'm not a big cook and I'm still learning and practice. This I think is a great book to start with. Many of the recipes give you a lot of variety and mix and matching components. I feel there's some flexibility with that. Reading some of the recipes there's flavors or food that I don't particularly care for. So I could see you replace that with what you like. I love the themes that they have they have like a breakfast and a dinner type charcuterie boards. Visually it's a beautiful book and I would love to own it. I feel it is obviously cheaper to make your own than to buy a prepared charcuterie boardd. It can get very expensive. And especially now things are tight. And I think you can still replace it with items that can be similar and maybe cheaper by the unit. So five stars love it!

#boardsandspreads #yasminfahr #netgalley #charcuterieboards

This is the kind of book any social/foodie person needs. From the very aesthetically pleasing pictures to the easy-to-follow recipes, I was amazed by the diverse variety I found. I was born and raised in a Hispanic country and grew up eating Lebanese food, so finding recipes like scallion labneh filled my heart with joy. Even drink recipes and salad suggestions would go along and spice up your meal as a side for any protein. I am definitely buying this book as a gift, and probably a copy for myself as well. I will keep my eye out for any other books by this author, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone that likes hosting get-togethers or just needs suggestions for what to make here and there.

"boards and spreads" is a gorgeous and helpful cookbook created by yasmin fahr, though it does have some characteristics that limit its audience.

this cookbook does a wonderful job of addressing issues that i never would have considered as someone who does not make "boards." fahr gives advice on what material, shape, and style of boards to use, how to care for different board, and which ones she uses for which events. i liked the focus on how to serve/pack/pair foods as well. almost every recipe is photographed, which is a MUST for me in a cookbook and i can't want to make a food unless i know what is looks like! there is also lots of room for flexibility.

while these recipes are certainly not difficult, a few of them seem more time consuming than i would have thought. none will take a LONG time, but some may take an hour or so, due to having multiple items to prepare. dips have never taken me just 2 minutes, as i have to read the recipe, get the ingredients, read it again, prepare them, get confused as to why it doesn't look right, etc. etc.! however, they are not stressful recipes (it seems to me!) and so they could be made with a glass of wine in hand and a friend chatting in the kitchen.

another thing to note is that these recipes might not be easy breezy since some of the ingredients are less common for most americans, i would think. i don't live in nyc or portland, so i don't have local spice shops or niche markets. some ingredidents here wouldn't be accessible to everyone based on location as well as price point.

some more positives are the diverse range of cuisines touched upon (something for everyone!), the clear instructions (though definitely read before starting - there's a lot of "meanwhiles!"), and the lovely restaurants and travels mentioned in the descriptions of each recipe.

overall, i think this is a lovely, if somewhat niche, cookbook for those who like to cook and entertain - but not stress themselves out.

(thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.)

I love charcuterie boards and only think of meats and cheeses on boards but you have so many more options when making yours boards. Like making a taco board with all the fixings this way everyone can make their own on a single tray with less mess to clean up. For breakfast how about making a granola board or a jam board with all likes of spreads and jams, It will make it a fun breakfast and so many different options. I think this would be great for making every day seem exciting.

Boards and Spreads
4 Stars

Board and Spreads shows us how to make delicious recipes and shows us how to set up picture perfect charcuterie boards. The book covers a variety of board ideas, from breakfasts to dinners, and everything in between. There are suggestions for making your boards as fancy or as plain as you want. I appreciated the author's covering how to care for and clean your boards. The pictures throughout the book are beautiful, and the recipes sound tasty.

To be honest, I'm not interested in spending all my time in the kitchen cooking. I would rather visit our guests. I found several recipes that meet those needs. All the recipes included are straightforward. Some of the ingredients are more complicated than needed. Several I couldn't find at our local grocery store(I checked). That said, they're recipes for beginners with plenty of room to grow for those that want to entertain and get as fancy as possible.

Overall, this is a pretty good charcuterie board book. Thanks, NetGalley and Clarkson Potter, for providing me with a digital ARC for an honest review.

Excellent material for compiling picture worthy boards! Loved the options available to me for small and large boards. I love making little noshes like this while hosting!

This is filling me up with so much inspiration for parties and casual dinners at home. From the gorgeous photos to the quick and easy recipes, this book is everything! I'm really excited to try out the different breakfast toasts and pancakes, as well as the chipotle shrimp tacos. I really like how you can take each of the charcuterie boards and turn them into full on meals. These are more than just putting cheese on a cutting board, but I don't feel like they're any more difficult than any other recipe in a standard cookbook.

*Thank you to Clarkson Potter and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

This is a pretty solid charcuterie board book.

It boasts a variety of board ideas from breakfasts, to dinners, and everything in between. Some of the boards that I liked the most were the kebab board, the taco board, the mini sliders board, the crispy snacky tortilla board, and the jam plan board. That said, there were also a lot of unique board ideas in this book that I’d never seen in other books such as the smorrebrod-style lox board, the no-cook tartines board, the many mezze snacking board, and many others. The book also has a nice picture to accompany each board which is also highly appreciated.

As a whole, this book is good for charcuterie fans and has a good array of recipes to make it perfect for those hosting parties. I would not say that the majority of the recipes are very family friendly as they tend to be geared to a more mature palate, but that does mean that this is the perfect book for those who want more complex flavour profiles. This is definitely a good book on charcuterie, and while it is not the best one that I have seen because it doesn’t contain that many board ideas, the recipes it does include are unique and sound quite flavourful.

Special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for an online copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a big fan of a party platter, so I was eager to read this cookbook and get some inspiration. The photos are beautiful and everything looks and sounds delicious!

That said, I feel like the recipes are more complicated than your average cheese plate. There are a lot of mix and match components, which means flipping around the book to figure out what goes where. I'd say this book is going to be good for people with the time or inclination to entertain in a more complex way.

Really nice book. Lovely ideas for making relatively simple foods, meats cheeses etc look Stunning gorgeous colours and textures

**Disclaimer: I received a free advanced readers copy of Boards and Spreads by Yasmin Fahr through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this opportunity.

Boards and Spreads: Shareable, Simple Arrangements for Every Meal by Yasmin Fahr is a cookbook of quick recipes that are easy to share if you have friends over.  It is set to be published on August 23rd, 2022.  I rated it three stars on Goodreads.


Here's the summary from Goodreads:

Feast upon more than 65 recipes for platters and boards, including dinner-worthy spreads, appetizers, breakfast, snacks, and more inspiration for anytime-eating
Boards All Day presents more than sixty-five recipes for beautiful, delicious boards and epic spreads for sharing-friendly meals, from breakfast through dinner. Going far beyond the standard cheese board or charcuterie board, here you will find countless ideas for how to create colorful platters and spreads with easy, flavorful recipes to fill them, like the Italian Aperitivo Board with Crispy Prosciutto Caprese; Any-Night Tacos with super-quick sheet pan shrimp, and rotisserie chicken that you spice up yourself; and breakfast spreads like the make-your-own Egg Pita Sandwich Board. Even drinks can be served board-style, whether it's a Bloody Mary Bar or the DIY Daytime Drinks set-up for a crowd. Plus, there are plenty of quick recipes for dips, snacks, and other fun add-ons that you'll turn to time and time again for countless meals, like Za'atar Flatbread, Smashed Olives, Quick-Pickled Shallots and Jalapenos, and Two-Minute Feta Dip.
Whether you're looking for a snackable spread or grazing board to serve when having people over, searching for the perfect food to share for an outdoor get-together, or simply looking for easy-to-make recipes that you can throw together on a whim, Boards All Day is full of ideas for turning everyday ingredients into festive, low-effort meals.

I have to admit that this cookbook wasn't exactly what I was expecting.  I thought it might be more along the lines of tips and tricks for creating a more charceuterie board style spread.  There were some elements that were similar to that idea, but mostly it was a very different concept.

I appreciated the simplicity of how the recipes were laid out, but most of them turned out to not be my style of food as I am a pretty picky eater.  There were a couple of recipes that I screenshotted to perhaps use in the future, but everything else wasn't really in my taste wheelhouse.

However, if you're at all intrigued by the idea of this book and are a more adventurous eater than I am, then I would still suggest that you check out this collection of recipes.  Some seemed pretty tasty.

Visually this book is stunning, a true feast for the eyes. However some of the boards were a bit lacking in my opinion, and some were less boards than they were sheet pan meals. Also I dont think a cast iron skillet counts as a board, so the shakshuka was a real stretch to be included here. Still the food looked delicious and the photos were beautiful and inspiring, it just wasn't what I was expecting.

Beautiful boards (especially charcuterie) are common in the Mediterranean where I live part of the year, a wonderful part of life. Author Yasmin Fahr's goal is "minimal effort, maximum flavor" and boards are an excellent method of creating and serving meals regardless of the season. As she says, the recipes and ideas she uses do not require skillful cooking but rather work with what you have in addition to a few creative touches. The recipes consist of one or two "key" recipes from which to build. Let her ideas inspire you. The photography certainly will, too!

Fahr begins with describing boards themselves (wood, marble, slate, etc.) including size, care and how to remove stains. She moves on to pinch bowls and equipment such as skillets. Next she explains placement, presentation and prep tips. The recipes follow as well as tips to add pizzazz to store-bought products.

Cooks of all skill levels can be inspired by this book; however, it is quite basic and the recipes would appeal most to beginner cooks. My hope was for "aha" moments. But. The idea of boards is simplicity and often simplest is best (such as Prosciutto + Ricotta + Honey and delicious variations (one of my favourite simple breakfasts with fresh seasonal fruit, capers and nuts). Small details such as pickles are impactful and memorable. Interestingly, the author includes a tinned seafood board! Grilled haloumi is not new but doing it in advance is a great idea. The Garlicky Blistered Green Beans recipe looks amazing and I really like the idea of expanding The Crispy Chicken Bites Spread with Green Cabbage Slaw to become a picnic on a board. This evening we are grilling seafood so will make the Lemony Herbs + Onion. The pancake board idea is fabulous...why not eat them with fixings communally? The possibilities are endless.

The layout is rather unfortunate on the digital copy; perhaps the hard copy is better. Though I really like the idea of this book and am inspired to gear up my creativity more often, it is not incredibly unique.

My sincere thank you to Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press for the privilege of salivating over this fun book.

My favorite part of any gathering are the nibbles plates. I love filling a plate with samples of different tasty treats. BOARDS AND SPREADS ups the game of nibbles like nothing I have scene, nor had the opportunity to try.

Author Yasmin Fahr starts off this book with a short introduction, followed by How To Use This Book, What You Need – picking out a board, how to clean your boards, as well as everything from plating, serving, ingredient prep, and spices.

You’ll find great ideas like . . . Egg Pita Sandwich Board, Smorrebrod-Style Lox Board, Crispy Snacky Tortilla Board, Pizza Toast Board, Italian Aperitivo Board, Summer Trio Platter, Mini Sliders Board, and Top-Your-Own Chili Board. Those are just a sampling of the different groupings. Each board has two and more recipes per board. Also, recipes for spreads and dips.

Okay, one of my must haves for a favorite recipe book, photos. There are beautiful color photos to show just how delicious all of these recipes are.

BOARDS & SPREADS will make a great addition to your cookbook library. Ms. Fahr has assembled a wonderful selection of foods, and some drinks. You need to see it for yourself.

Beautiful photos and recipes. Not sure I will be making them as much as whole platters but separating out the individual components for myself (not many hosting opportunities now) but it is useful for both! I like the combinations into the platters and the add-ons and snacks in other sections. Many delicious looking foods to make!

The board combinations look enticing, the photos are beautiful, and all the recipes included seem straightforward and simple enough for a novice in the kitchen.
Very “on trend” right now.