Making an Antipasto Party Platter

 Friends were having a birthday party.  I asked,  "what can I bring?"   They said, "How about an Antipasto Platter?"

 So I gathered the ingredients: a really good ham sliced very thin, Provolone sliced thin, Swiss cheese, Pepperoni sliced thin, Genoa Salami sliced thin, fresh Mozzarella cheese in Ciliegine Cherry sized balls, Spring Mix greens, Queen sized Pimiento Stuffed Green Olives, large Pitted Ripe Olives, Artichoke Hearts packed in oil, Roasted Red Peppers, Stuffed Sweet Peppers in olive oil, Fresh Basil Leaves, Extra Virgin Olive oil,  and Balsamic Vinegar, Sour Dough and Rustic Italian Bread.

 Select a really large platter, oval or square, better make it a large one.  I started by making a bed of the baby lettuce leaves.

 Then I rolled the slices of ham.  I asked the butcher for a recommendation and he suggested the ham that usually comes as Spiral ham.  They carried it in the deli section packaged without the bone.  It was truly delicious.

 Then I cut the Provolone in halves,

 strained and rinsed the Mozzarella cheese.

 I started to arrange the ham and cheese on the platter.

 Next I strained the black and

 the stuffed green olives.

 The arrangement started to come together.

 I strained the artichoke hearts

 the Roasted Red Peppers, and  the cute stuffed Sweet Peppers.

 Things were coming out well, so I added the sliced Pepperoni that I also rolled up.

 I put the tops of the Basil leaves,

 rolled the Genoa Salami and Swiss Cheese and added these to the platter design.

 Since this platter was  going to travel, I cut a piece of waxed paper and laid it on top,

 then wrapped the whole thing in extra long plastic wrap.

 I pre-sliced the Italian and Sour Dough bread and

 chopped and bagged the rest of the Basil leaves, to sprinkle over the bread.

 All of that went into zip lock bags, and into a matching bowl.

I found these little plastic forks at a paper goods store, which are step up from tooth picks, and they worked well with this type of hors d'oeuvre.

 Later, at the party we placed the two platters together on a sideboard, along with small white plates, the tiny forks, cocktail napkins, and two flavors of olive oil.  As it happened, it kept everyone happy while we waited for the guest of honor.  There are many other pickled condiments that you can add to your platter, these were the ones that I put together.