Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Arrange the base
- Use a large rectangular wooden board, sheet pan, or serving tray as your base. Keep everything at cool room temperature so berries stay firm and rows look clean.
- In the upper left corner, fill a rectangle densely with blueberries to form the canton. Press them in lightly so there are no gaps between berries for a solid blue block.
Build the stripes
- Create the red stripes by arranging rows of halved strawberries and folded pepperoni slices across the length of the board. Alternate these across the width so each row reads as a vivid red band.
- Fill in the white stripes with rows of white cheddar cubes and crackers alternating between the red rows. Keep the edges squared so the flag pattern stays straight from end to end.
Finish and serve
- Use pretzel sticks to define the stripe borders if needed for clean lines. Place them along the boundaries so each stripe looks crisp in an overhead shot.
- Place a small bowl of cream cheese or ranch dip in one corner, tuck rosemary sprigs at the edges, and serve immediately. Arrange the bowl so it won’t disrupt the main stripe pattern.
Notes
Pro tip: for the sharpest flag look, dry strawberries well and assemble as close to serving time as possible—wet fruit makes rows slide. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 1 day, but keep crackers separate if they start to soften. Freezing isn’t recommended because berries and crackers lose texture. If you want a lighter version, swap pepperoni for sliced turkey or use part-skim cheese while keeping the same stripe layout.