I really enjoyed the personal stories that Tuthill wrote about, and her background with cheese (she lived in Switzerland for a year) provided some good knowledge and pairings. I also wholeheartedly agree with her thoughts on dinner parties: making memories is more important than extravagant food. I also appreciated her direction to search around your home for items you already may have that will fit your party or board theme, rather than purchasing new things for every event.

My only slightly critical feedback is that I would have liked to see even more images of a full party/tablescape rather than single shots of one board or drink up close. Nevertheless, this book gave me some good ideas and inspiration for my next family gathering!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book!

This is great for hosting parties or you’re just looking to try something new on your own personal charcuterie board!

Pros: I love the "board" trend because I love snacky foods. The hardest thing for me, however, is making a board look good, so I appreciated all of the styling tips and photography in this book that I can use as a guide. The wreath board was my favorite because I thought it was such a clever way to arrange/present a board. I also want to carry a "snackle" with me everywhere I go. The drink pairings were a fun surprise.

Cons: None except I wish I had a board to snack off of while reading this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Globe Pequot for the opportunity to read this book.

Such a fun read! Gathering Boards is an awesome book to learn how to make charcuterie boards.

The pictures are so pretty and inspiring. I also loved that it was easy to read and has great tips. The measurements made it really easy to prepare a board that will satisfy the group. I also loved that there are images to help learn how to make roses or flowers with meats but also cucumbers. It makes a board pop and is super fun to have on your board!

Gathering Boards is a cookbook all about charcuterie and cheese boards. The cookbook begins with board basics including guides on choosing cheese and charcuterie, rounding out the boards, and tips for prepping, arranging, and storing.
Next are the gathering boards for winter, spring, summer, and fall. Each season has 3 themed gathering boards and 3 everyday boards. Each themed board includes cheeses, charcuterie, and extras used, instructions on how to arrange the board, and a photo. Also, each of the themed boards includes a food styling tip, drink pairing, and decor inspo, which is a nice addition. However, the everyday boards only list what is included, and only 1 of the boards has a photo. I would have liked it if all the everyday boards had photos especially since the everyday boards do not include instructions on how to arrange them.
The cookbook ends with wine and cheese pairings and 10 recipes for dips and appetizers used for some of the boards. Gathering Boards is a fine cookbook especially if you are interested in making charcuterie and cheese boards for special occasions.

I am a bit charcuterie board obsessed, which is why whenever I see a unique board, book, or card deck relating to the subject, I succumb. What can I tell you? I love cute food. I also love easy and relaxed food and entertaining.

Gathering Boards by Sarah Zimmerman Tuthill (scheduled for publication June 4, 2024) is one of the best books on the subject that I have seen. More text than photos, although there are plenty of those, I enjoyed reading about Sarah and what she’d learned from her mother, as much as I did reading about the various ways to make food boards to serve, to gift, and to pair with cocktails. If you only buy one book on food boards, make it this one.

Sarah stumbled upon food board entertaining quite by accident. Her mother (to whom the book is dedicated), like mine, knew that if you’re serving cocktails, you also need to serve nuts. Sarah took it one step further, grabbed three different types of nuts, dumped each into its own bowl, added bowls of olives, and put everything on the entrance hall table. When her evening of entertaining was over, no one commented on the dinner over which she had slaved, but more on the clever way that she had served snacks. I loved that story.

Everything that you need to know about charcuterie boards is in this book, from selecting an appropriate board, choosing your cheeses, choosing the proper knives, prepping, arranging, and serving. Not only that, but there are photos and ideas for making specialty holiday boards for holidays like Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, and Mother’s Day. Her “Lakeside Snackle Box” is one of my favorites, and one of her most inspired. All ingredients are assembled in a [clean] tackle box, making it not only immensely clever, but perfect for Lakeside or Seaside dining.

There are special sections in the book containing information and ideas on every day gathering boards for winter, spring, and summer, making seasonal entertaining so easy for you. You will also find recipes for cocktails, snacks, and making your own cheese spreads.

I don’t think I have seen a book on the subject as cleverly put together as this one. From the beautiful photos, to the various recipes for accompaniments such as cocktails and dips, to the delightful stories of her youth, this is one of the most informative and readable books you’ll find.

Many thanks to NetGalley, publisher Globe Pequot, and Sarah Zimmerman Tuthill for providing me with an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

The photos in this cookbook are beautiful and inspiring. I really enjoyed looking at the graphics. While the displays are creative, the boards are all standard charcuterie board foods.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the advanced reader's copy of this publication.

Wonderful easy to read great ideas. Love this! Its on my list and I will be purchasing it for my collection.

"Everything is better on a board!" declares author Sarah Tuthill.
Up your entertaining game with this fantastic guidebook for putting together the "just right" board for any occasion. Tuthill gives practical, easy to implement, tips - emphasis on presentation and using store bought or easy to prepare foods.
The book uses vivid illustrations and easy to follow instructions. She begins with tutorials on the basics -choosing the right board or platter, serving utensils, cheese and charcuterie 101, food prep, serving sizes, etc. She then presents specific ideas organized by season and occasion.
This is a great resource to keep in your kitchen, to make getting ready for any party or special occasion a breeze.
"By merely presenting food ... in an inventive, beautiful or whimsical way, you can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary."
Thank you to the author and to NetGalley for the advance copy.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook.
Wow I absolutely loved this book! I have always wanted to make a gathering board. And this book I completely chocked full of different kinds of boards to make for your next gathering. Highly recommend!

I'm all for keeping things simple so this book appealed to me in the way that it shows you how to put together delicious, attractive food sharing boards with the very minimal of effort and fuss - ie. no cooking! (I'm not really about making floral arrangements out of salami either for the record - they look pretty but I don't like the idea of anyone handling something I'm going to eat as much as that would demand.)

The tips and tricks were useful and I liked the pictures which showed presentation ideas. I was disappointed that not every board described had an accompanying picture because for me, in any book about food it is mainly about the pictures not the words. I know food bloggers love talking about their personal inspirations for food and what it means to them but for me personally, I could have done with a few less paragraphs about the author's personal life and more pictures of food boards!

I thought it was good that it included information such as how long it was safe to leave food out, and at what temperature it was best to prepare the cheese and meats. I think as an introduction to producing charcuterie boards then this is a good book to spark some ideas. It's very chill and casual, which I like, encouraging you to use store-bought if you prefer and focus on enjoying the food with friends, rather than stressing out over the purchase and preparation.

I also liked the suggestions for accompanying cocktails/mocktails, and the way it was broken down into seasons. Overall it's a nicely presented book with some good ideas, and I enjoyed looking through it. I may well even up my game for my next cheese and wine party!

Nicely photographed but not a lot of new information if you have read some other books on the subject.

A few recipes at the back that seem to contain quite a lot of sugar.

thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This isn’t a book of recipes. It is a beautiful book explaining in detail the differences between elements (cheese, meat) and how to build boards using a variety in flavors, colors, textures. Adding in fruits, nuts, olives, and herbs to build out a charcuterie board with tips on order of placement for best presentation.

Examples of seasonal boards with gorgeous photos for inspiration. Step by step instructions on how to shape meats for an even more esthetic board.

Unique presentations using skewers and tackle boxes really elevate these boards.

A fun addition are cocktail pairings and the one I’m most excited to try- a baked potato board!

A must have book for anyone who loves to entertain.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Gathering Boards by Sarah Tuthill is a great resource for the basics of putting together charcuterie boards. There were a bunch of photos for inspiration, although not every recipe had its own picture. The author provided guidance on the hows and whys of selecting and pairing a variety of cheeses, meats, and accompaniments likes veggies, nuts, fruits, olives, pickles, etc., as well as photo tutorials for creative presentation - folding meats, decorative cutting of food items, inventive serving board ideas and board layout. This foundational information will be helpful for customizing some of the ideas in the book, as well as creating my own boards in the future. I found the book to be conveniently organized chronologically by season and holiday. I was able to easily locate a board for Mother's Day, which I'll be using for inspiration this weekend. I also plan to use some of these ideas for upcoming holidays.

I rated Gathering Boards by Sarah Tuthill 3.5/5 stars (rounded up). As someone new to making charcuterie boards, the info on the fundamentals of how and why to pair different things together was helpful for me (especially the serving sizes guide), and the photography was amazing. The ideas and how-tos for plating and presentation will be useful, too. However, with all the food literature out there on the internet, I'm not sure how many of these ideas will be new to those who are experienced at entertaining this way.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Tuthill, and Globe Pequot for the opportunity to read the ARC version of this book. I was not required to write a review, and all opinions expressed are my own.

I hope she doesn’t mind, but I will be adopting Sarah’s mantra as my own: “Keep it simple but keep it memorable”. In many aspects of life, I just need this. But especially when throwinfthe many little parties we get to host in our new home. My husband and I have two children, which means birthdays and family from out of town visiting, plus our core friend group, and holidays. Plus the big one: summer! Which is just around the corner, and I do tend to over complicate my appetizers and decor.

This book not only offered sound advice but the visuals were stunning. The step-by-step instructions to elevate the simplest ingredient, paired with a delicious (and again, stunning) drink is exactly what I needed for my hostess arsenal. I’ll be sharing this with my friends and I can’t wait to utilize this book in my future events at home!

"Everything is better on a board," says debut author Sarah Tuthill in "Gathering Boards: Seasonal Cheese and Charcuterie Spreads for Easy and Memorable Entertaining." Despite the very long title, this book is a nice addition to any enthusiast's repertoire. I enjoyed Ms. Tuthill's personal stories interlaced with basic components of charcuterie and cheese boards, suggestions for boards based on seasons and holidays, and a bonus of cocktail and mocktail recipes to go along with the boards. She gives thoughtful advice on types of boards to utilize (a pig theme inherited from her late mother), different types of cheese, meat and extras, and how to make creative designs such as flowers and ways to spread and stack items. The reader can certainly tell that Ms. Tuthill draws from her experience running EZPZ Gatherings (cute name!), a store where she makes beautiful boards for customers, as well as leads workshops to teach the art of making fabulous displays.

My only disappointment, and this is probably because I read an electronic ARC, is that a lot of photographs were missing from my document. I will certainly pick up the hardback copy when it is published!

Thanks to the author, NetGalley and Globe Pequot for the ARC to review.

"Gathering Boards: Seasonal Cheese and Charcuterie Spreads for Easy and Memorable Entertaining" by Sarah Tuthill offers a practical guide for hosts looking to create effortless yet memorable gatherings. Organized by season, the book provides tailored inspiration for various occasions, from cozy winter nights to sunny summer afternoons. Tuthill's tips on food styling, drink pairings, and decor make entertaining accessible to all, emphasizing simplicity without sacrificing style.

The book contains good general information at the beginning, particularly about cheeses and charcuterie meats, which adds depth and sets it apart from simple online searches. Tuthill's insights into these essential components of entertaining give the book more substance than just browsing Pinterest. Moreover, the organization by season allows for easy reference and planning, a feature that I found particularly helpful.

One standout feature of "Gathering Boards" is the EZPZ boards, which offer quick and easy solutions for creating beautiful spreads. These sections were my favorite, as they showcased Tuthill's expertise in cheese and charcuterie styling. However, I felt that the book could benefit from more pictures to illustrate Tuthill's concepts. While there were a lot of different styles of boards presented, from more cutesy to more elegant, more visuals would enhance the overall experience and inspire readers to try out Tuthill's suggestions.

Overall, "Gathering Boards" offers a range of styles to suit every taste and occasion. Whether you're planning a date night for two or hosting a holiday party for a crowd, Tuthill's book provides practical advice and inspiration for creating memorable gatherings with ease.

A great book for charcuterie-type spreads. Nice tips and tricks and a lot of useful info.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions included here are my own.

The author claims that "everything tastes better on a board." I agree with that and so do many more people. And the steps to getting a great board? Choosing the board, selecting the serving utensils, how much to serve, per guest, and arranging the board.

Then she provides some tips on boards for the seasons and information on how to set up the board and how to fold meats, and how to pair with special drinks. I appreciated the tips on food styling. The drink suggestions were clever and fun. The boards can be as simple as a variety of seasonal cookies and sweets or a "potato board" filled with toppings for baked potatoes. Few boards described could be considered difficult, even for beginners.

The book includes some recipes and tips for entertaining.

I think this book will appeal to people who are new to entertaining, entertain casually, or who want to make family gatherings fun. The photos are very appetizing.

Honestly, I didn't find this book paticularly useful or instructive. Very basic, nothing that couldn't be found elsewhere, with better ideas