Just a Bite...

You know how we all say “just a bite” as if we mean it? Sometimes we do—sometimes we’re honestly curious. But more often, it’s our polite Southern way of admitting we’re hungry without looking like we came in on an empty tank. I’ve lived long enough to know I usually fall somewhere in the middle. And when something truly hits the mark, just a biteturns into a suspiciously clean plate.

I’ve always believed shared plates do more than feed people—they soften the room. A little something to nibble on has a way of lowering shoulders and opening conversations. Strangers who walked in quietly suddenly find themselves reaching for the same cracker, talking like neighbors.

Take this simple little cheese board I put out at a meeting last week. Nothing heroic. A few things sweet, a few things salty, a little crunch, a little cream. I grabbed the salad plates that feel like fall—because the small details matter more than the fancy ones—and started assembling without giving it a second thought. No big presentation. No fuss. But every single plate came back empty.

That’s the truth of entertaining: you don’t have to dazzle. You just have to give people something that feels easy and welcoming.

So this Thanksgiving, make a few of these little boards ahead of time. Tuck them in the fridge. Pull one out when someone wanders into the kitchen asking for “just a bite.”
It’s amazing how far a small plate can carry an afternoon.