Pin It I stumbled onto this playful idea at a summer gathering when someone joked about making a charcuterie board look like a landscape. We ended up arranging cheeses on a platter that night, and the image stuck with me—golden rounds like stepping stones, a river of blue corn chips winding between them. It felt silly and smart at the same time, the kind of thing that makes people smile before they even taste it. Now whenever I need an appetizer that doubles as conversation, this is what I make.
My cousin brought this to a neighborhood picnic last summer, and I watched people gravitate toward it more than any other dish on the table. The combination of goat cheese's tang, brie's creamy smoothness, and smoked gouda's depth somehow felt more sophisticated because of how it was presented. Everyone wanted to know the trick, and the best part was telling them there wasn't one—just intention and a little imagination.
Ingredients
- Goat cheese log (150 g): The tang cuts through richness and stands up to the toasted corn flavor of the chips.
- Brie cheese (150 g, well-chilled): Chill it properly or it'll be impossible to slice cleanly; this is the buttery centerpiece.
- Smoked gouda (150 g): The smoky depth keeps this from feeling too delicate and adds that savory anchor.
- Blue corn tortilla chips (150 g): The base of your river; their natural sweetness plays beautifully against creamy cheese.
- Fresh chives (2 tbsp, finely chopped): They add a gentle onion whisper and visual green that makes the whole thing pop.
- Cracked black pepper (1 tbsp): Not just seasoning—it's texture and sophistication in a grind.
- Pomegranate seeds (2 tbsp): These jewel-like berries are your river's shimmer; they're optional but they're what make people take a second look.
- Honey (2 tbsp): A light drizzle bridges sweet and savory if you're drawn to it; hold back and taste first.
Instructions
- Slice your cheeses into stepping stones:
- Use a sharp knife and cut each cheese into rounds about 1 centimeter thick. If the brie starts getting soft, pop those slices in the fridge for 10 minutes—cold hands and cold cheese make all the difference. The different thicknesses of each cheese will give your stones character, so don't worry about perfect uniformity.
- Create your river:
- Arrange the blue corn chips in a winding, organic pattern across your platter, leaving space for the cheese to sit on top. Think less straight line and more the way water actually moves—curves and gentle turns. This is where you get to be playful; there's no wrong way to make a river.
- Lay your stepping stones:
- Place the cheese rounds across the chip river in alternating types, creating a path you'd actually walk along. Step back and look at it—adjust, swap colors around, find the rhythm that feels right to you.
- Finish with garnish:
- Scatter chives and cracked pepper over each cheese round, letting them stick where they naturally land. Drop pomegranate seeds along the edges of your river like they're reflecting light off water. If you're using honey, drizzle it lightly—remember you can always add more but you can't take it back.
- Serve right away:
- The longer this sits, the softer the brie gets and the chips start to soften from the cheese oils. Fresh is best; the textures are part of the pleasure.
Pin It I made this for a small dinner party once, and someone's four-year-old was so delighted by the stepping stones concept that she carefully walked her fingers across them before eating. That moment reminded me why presentation matters—it's not pretentious, it's just taking an extra minute to say I thought about you.
Cheese Selection Wisdom
The magic of this appetizer lives in the interplay of three distinct cheeses. Goat cheese brings brightness and a slight tang that wakes up your palate, brie provides that luxurious, almost buttery melt that feels indulgent, and smoked gouda adds depth and smokiness that makes the whole thing feel more substantial than just cheese and chips. You could substitute any of these—sharp cheddar, cambozola, even a good gruyere—but stick to the rule of having one tangy, one creamy-mild, and one with character.
The Blue Corn Chip Choice
Blue corn chips taste different from regular tortilla chips; they have an earthier, slightly nuttier sweetness that complements cheese beautifully. Regular chips will work if that's all you have, but if you can find blue corn, they transform this from cute to genuinely flavorful. The color also does the visual work for you—you get that river effect almost automatically because of how visually distinct they are from the pale, amber, and golden cheeses layered on top.
Timing and Presentation Ideas
This works best as a party appetizer where people graze over time rather than everyone eating it at once. Set it on a high table or counter where people naturally pass by, and it becomes a destination rather than something served. I've learned that the first presentation always gets people's attention, but once a few pieces are gone, the river becomes even more interesting—the gaps show the flow of the chips underneath, and it tells the story of people enjoying it together.
- Try using a long wooden board instead of a platter for an even more dramatic effect.
- Add edible flowers like pansies or nasturtiums if you want to push the landscape metaphor further.
- Pair with a crisp white wine or sparkling water to echo the lightness of the cheese.
Pin It This appetizer proves that good food doesn't need to be complicated or time-consuming to be memorable. It's a reminder that sometimes the most impressive thing you can do is pay attention to how you present something and give yourself permission to play.
Recipe FAQs
- → What types of cheese work best for this dish?
Soft and semi-soft cheeses like goat cheese, brie, and smoked gouda provide a pleasing contrast in texture and flavor.
- → Can I substitute the blue corn chips?
Yes, regular tortilla chips can be used, but blue corn chips add a vibrant color contrast that enhances presentation.
- → How should the cheese be prepared?
Slice the cheeses into 1-cm thick rounds and chill if needed to help with handling and neat arrangement.
- → What garnishes complement the cheese and chips?
Fresh chives, cracked black pepper, and pomegranate seeds add color, texture, and subtle flavor accents.
- → Is this dish suitable for special diets?
It's vegetarian and gluten-free if you select blue corn chips without gluten, but not suitable for vegans due to the cheeses.