Charcuterie and the cheese platter have been: we want a burrata bar

Say wine, snacks or haute cuisine and the gourmands at online food magazine FavorFlav know where to drink, how to eat it and what to cook. This time our cheffies serve you: charcuterie and the cheese platter have been: we want a burrata bar.

Ideal to have on the table at a party, but also as an extensive snack or light meal. The flavors and colors pop, and with some simple preparations, you will soon enjoy this amazing burrata bar...

Because real burrata is delicious on its own, and with some olive oil, pepper, and salt, you can elevate it to an even higher level, and complemented with various easy salads and toppings, it's actually the icing on the cake, so tasty. Shelly Westerhausen Worcel describes in her book Tables & Spreads how to beautifully and festively fill a table with tasty snacks and appetizer boards and gives great tips for special flavor combinations.

So get these tasty things at home, whip up a few super simple salads, and invite your friends to your burrata bar.

How to set up a burrata bar
For 6 people, you need 3 to 4 balls of burrata; keep them cold until you present the salads on platters. Make three easy salads:

•  Raw beet and carrot, shaved on the mandoline, tossed with olive oil and a bit of vinegar and mustard, sprinkled with pepper, salt, sumac, and dill.
• Various citrus fruits peeled and sliced, such as a mandarin, a grapefruit, and a blood orange with half a red onion in thin rings, some green olives, chopped pistachios, olive oil, pepper, and salt, and chopped tarragon.
• Cherry tomatoes and crushed cucumber pieces with a finely chopped jalapeño pepper, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and basil leaves.
• Put a pound of mixed olives in a bowl (get different types at the Turkish supermarket) and roughly chop some fresh green herbs (like parsley, mint, and rosemary) and add those to a bowl or dish as well.
• Place various crackers on a board, with a nice baguette sliced.
• When it's time to open the ‘buffet’, place the balls of burrata each in their own bowl with a spoon on the left side of the table, next to the salads, and at the end (on the right) the toppings (the olives and the herbs) as well as salt and pepper.
• Next to the crackers and the bread, and your burrata party is on!

Tips:
You can make the salads in the morning and store them airtight and cool until serving time. Try to get different colors of carrots, beets, and tomatoes: the more colorful your burrata bar, the prettier. If you want to serve some ham, some Italian prosciutto (or other ham) is also delicious. And to stay in the Italian spirit, you can serve various wines like pinot grigio, sangiovese, and a bottle of good prosecco. Salute!