Oh look, another glorious Sanderson sister movie! Ever since its premiere in the 90s, Hocus Pocus has become a Halloween cult classic. And with its sequel finally making its debut on Disney Plus September 30th, we’ve all got Sarah, Mary, and Winifred Sanderson on our minds.
The best way to celebrate its premiere night is to feast, of course! The easiest way to satisfy everyone’s hunger is hands down a charcuterie board, but let’s take it up a notch – here’s how to create your very own Hocus Pocus-themed snack board that will have everyone under your spell.
Step One: Choose your base
Selecting your base is the first step. Make sure you choose a board that will be large enough to satisfy all of your guests. Creating a more intimate affair? A smaller board will do the trick. I like to buy wooden boards of all sizes, so when the occasion calls, I have what I need already in stock. Charcuterie boards tend to be filled to the brim, so whatever board size you choose, be prepared to buy ingredients that will fill the entire space.
Step Two: Select a Centerpiece
Selecting a centerpiece for your board is helpful in having a base area to build out from. A centerpiece can be a decorative object, like the Hocus Pocus inspired book I found at the Dollar Tree last year, or something more practical, like a bowl to fill with ingredients, or a small pumpkin. Having a “centerpiece” gives the eyes something to focus on, and gives you something to build around.
Step Three: The Sisters
Come, sisters…it is time! Time to create the aesthetics of our favorite sister trio on our board.
The easiest way to do this is to break down your board in three sections, and utilize the colors of the sisters’ dresses to emphasize each sister. Let’s break down each sister and some examples of items that would work in that color.
Winifred Sanderson
Winifred is best known for the deep green colors in her dress as well as her fiery red hair, but let’s go with the dress. I like to stick to things that are more sweet and fresh than savory; so fresh fruits and veggies will be the stars today! Obvious choices are things like green grapes and sliced cucumbers. Sliced green apples with a side of caramel dipping sauce makes the perfect spooky snack. Use greens like eucalyptus to fill in empty space for this sister, as well as some delicious cheese such as a soft Brie.
Mary Sanderson
Mary’s outfit has a variety of colors in it, ranging from oranges and browns to reds. For this board, I chose to focus on the red. Items such as strawberries and raspberries make for a sweet surprise, along with savory items like salami or Prosciutto. You can add a bit of spookiness to your reds by cutting open a pomegranate and displaying half face up on the board. Add a small container of honey, and use this part of the board to display some autumn themed crackers. The oranges and browns in her dress allow you to go more savory on this side, so be creative.
Sarah Sanderson
Quite easily the sexiest part of the board, so let’s make this side as memorable as she is. When I think Sarah, I think purple. The purple in her dress stands out as much as her beautiful blonde hair. With purple, you can use things like grapes and blackberries, rainbow carrots (just the purple ones) and vegetable chips. I found a beautiful purple potato chip at Trader Joe’s that tasted delicious! Trader Joe’s also makes a yummy blueberry goat cheese that has a purple exterior, so that’s an easy yes. I would suggest going to your nearest Trader Joe’s or grocery store and browsing the aisles. Purple items will find their way to you.
The Final Touches
Really bring the spooky theme home by utilizing plastic spiders, rats, or any other creepy creatures to top your board with. Adding a bit of red jam in the center of your cheese and then topping it with a knife can give an extra “stab” at the theme as well. You can find tiny potion bottles in the Bullseye section at your nearest Target. They add some extra witchy spookiness without going too overboard. Regardless of what you use, have fun creating! Move things around when they don’t look right, and don’t be afraid to try something outside the box. Whatever you do, your guests will be dazzled by your creation and love the extra attention to detail. Happy Hocus Pocus night!
