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As with all the classics, we get into tricky territory when we explore a more modern approach. Some things are just too sacred to change! So I'm taking the safe route here and offering both the classic and modern take on the relish tray.

The Tray
classic: a crystal/cut glass or silver bowl or tray that is divided into several compartments; a lazy-susan.
modern: a wooden board with a rough cut edge; a simple modern flat square piece of pottery; a cluster of several bowls on a tray; simple, compartmentalized glass trays or bowls; a shallow bowl made from sleek aluminum.

The Fork
classic: a little three-pronged fork or tongs
modern: also a fork or tongs; chopsticks

The Edibles

Olives
classic: canned black olives, drained (and eaten off your fingers) or jarred green olives with pimento centers.
modern: a variety from your supermarket's olive bar; green olives stuffed with blue cheese, whole garlic cloves or whole almonds.

Pickles
classic: mini-gerkhins or crinkle cut bread & butter; beets; pearl onions; okra.
modern: all of the above plus japanese daikon; whole carrots in red, yellow, orange with a bit of their tops still on; artichoke hearts; green beans; cauliflower; mushrooms; pepperoncini; kim chee; sauerkraut.

Vegetables
classic: radishes; celerey stuffed with peanut butter or cream cheese; carrot sticks; green onions trimmed and soaked in ice water so they look like little palm trees.
modern: radishes in many colors such as purple, white and pink or the long, thin french butter variety; celery stuffed with goat's cheese; multi-colored carrot sticks; cherry or grape tomatoes; jicama sticks; red pepper spears; fennel.

Miscellaneous
classic: a sour cream based dip.
modern: a stiff hummus and some broken flat bread.

The Presentation
classic: mound each offering in its little compartment or arrange tightly packed on a circular tray
modern: scatter over a wide, flat surface or arrange in little clumps with space in between; cluster a collection of 1/2 pint canning jars on a wooden tray and fill.

I hope this inspires you to revive or reinvent your own relish tray. What are your classic relish tray elements and what have you added over the years?

Related:
• In Praise of the Relish Tray
• Olive Bars vs Prepackaged Olives
• Aunt Lorrraine's Refrigerator Pickles

(Image: Dana Velden)