Ask Nana Jorj Morgan is the author of 5 books whose subjects range from entertaining to cooking and most recently to health and wellness. Jorj’s books include Gorgeous: The Sum of All Your Glorious Parts, Fresh Traditions: Classic Dishes for a Contemporary Lifestyle, and At Home in the Kitchen. Most importantly Jorj is a mom and new grandmom. Learn more on her website From Nana's Kitchen Super Antipasti Platter for a Bridal Shower Q: Dear Nana, When my son, Geoff (now age 30), was just a toddler, he befriended our next-door neighbor’s little girl, Sarah. Because she was a tomboy, the friendship lasted for years and years. Geoff and Sarah were inseparable through high school—and I have a photo album chock full of a wonderful childhood they mostly shared together. Geoff went off to grad school and now lives far away. His friendship with Sarah has dwindled to an occasional phone call and exchange of X-mas cards, but I still see her often because she stayed in the same city, and is like a daughter to me. Geoff married four years ago, and Sarah the Tomboy—who I always thought would remain a bachelorette—is tying the knot herself in just one month! Top Nana, I want to give Sarah a wedding shower at my house. I want it to be classy, but casual. Sarah’s friends have already thrown her an elaborate shower, and this is really just anticlimax; however, lots of women in my neighborhood watched Sarah and Geoff grow up together, too, and are invested in wishing her well. I’ve invited 10 of my closest friends to the wedding shower, which will take place at 1:00 p.m., and feature tea sandwiches and a luscious homemade dessert; I do need one big, savory platter to put on the table along with my fresh fruit, cheese plate, and the sandwiches. Is there a platter you can recommend? Thank you! Surrogate Mother of the Bride Lakeland, FL A: Dear Surrogate Mother of the Bride, Your story is so heartwarming! It reminded me of a movie on the Hallmark Channel. Please accept this as a compliment! : ) I hope Sarah appreciates what a wonderful friend and “second mom” she has in you. Your spread sounds divine, but you’re right about needing an impressive entrée platter to round it all out. I have a gorgeous arrangement that’s melt-in-your mouth savory and should complete the artful composition of your banquet table. It’s my Super Antipasti Platter, pictured here on my blog. Now the wonderful thing about this dish is that there are no “don’ts” to its assembly. Sarah the Tomboy will appreciate its beauty and lawlessness! All you have to do is follow these guidelines, which read more like a yummy grocery list than cooking instructions. You will need: Radishes with sea salt for dipping Sliced salami or other Italian meats such as sopressata and capicola filled with cream cheese and dipped in fresh herbs Slices of ham rolled around roasted red pepper and asparagus spears Chunks of Provolone and Parmesan cheeses Artichoke hearts, drained and sliced Hearts of palm, drained and sliced into rounds Grilled eggplant topped with fresh herbs and olive oil Roasted garlic Olives Garlic rubbed crostini Fresh figs sliced in half Fresh Bay Leaves for garnish When you have everything together, arrange the meats and vegetables in a decorative way on a large platter. Garnish with fresh herbs and drizzle with olive oil. Then enjoy! I think this will be a marvelous pairing with the rest of your menu, and I must admit you’ve ignited my curiosity—I would love to know what you’re serving for dessert. If it’s anything like hostess and bride-to-be, it must be pretty sweet! All the best, —Top Nana Send your Ask Nana questions to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it