Welcome to Come On Over, Food52's newsletter about hosting life's big and little moments. This week, our editor Allie is sharing her tips on an unexpected and interactive party centerpiece. 

Cheese is a major crowd pleaser. That’s why it’s so great for party snacking. While cheese boards are a good entry point, we wanted another sophisticated but fun way to spotlight cheese at a gathering. That’s where the Marinated Feta Bar comes in. 

It's not just a collection of feta on display. It’s an invitation for guests to personalize their own cheese—and ultimately their meal—by marinating it in oil with seasonings and spices. Set up cubed feta alongside bowls of aromatic herbs and dried spices. Guests can pack their jars with cheese and select their own ingredients to create different flavor profiles. Cover the cheese with olive oil and seal it tightly.

After 30 minutes (or up to two weeks) of marinating, you can spread the cheese cubes onto bread, or enjoy the cheese and its oil in different recipes, like scooped onto salads, or over roasted veggies. Guests can take their remaining jars of marinated feta home as a gift.

The infused oil makes a great finishing drizzle, so make sure the flavor and quality is good enough to be a finishing touch. We use Graza's Drizzle oil to add bold and peppery flavors to our marinated feta.

For the most flavorful oil, use ingredients with compounds that extract well into oils. Try peppercorns, dry chilis, citrus peels, cinnamon sticks, rosemary, or thyme.

Drizzle it over dips or use it in dressings. Try it in this Raw Zucchini and Mint Salad With Spiced Chickpeas, Feta, and Argan Oil or this Salad Pizza With Gluten-Free Dough. 

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