Design your own Charcuterie Board

Have you ever seen or heard the phrase “charcuterie board” and wondered what the heck?  I couldn't even say it let alone explain it.   I’m breaking down exactly what it is, and how to make one.

Nowadays, serving Charcuterie (yes, it’s a French word) is a summer entertaining staple, and the more artful your arrangement, the better.

Big or small; round or rectangular; cooked or raw; there’s one thing all our favorite Charcuterie platters have in common: tons of vibrant color and loads of seasonal flavor.

Charcuterie Board Tips

·        I buy everything for my charcuterie board at my local grocery store. For fruits and veggies, I get them in my www.farmfreshtoyou.com box (comes to our door every other week). Your element choices can be as basic or as exotic as you want. Choose items that you know YOU or your guests will like, and that will display nicely.

·        Take the time to make your board pretty and balanced. It was very fun to see how I could arrange everything to make it fit on the board. I lined some things up, and others were stacked; some are in bowls.

·        You can make your board ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Loosely cover it with plastic wrap. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.

·        Getting varied cheeses can be expensive. I stick to my favorites of sharp cheddar and a creamy Havarti with dill. Sometimes I add blue cheese crumbles for texture. Grocery Outlet has a nice selection of cheeses at a reasonable price. 

·        Serve your charcuterie board with wine or with a sparkling non-alcoholic beverage. (Or both!) I also make my signature lemonade with mango.

·        It’s nice to give your guests plenty of choices, but remember that the meat and cheese are rich and filling. Limit those items to two or three ounces per person.

·        Cutting boards are perfect, but so is any kind of serving tray, or a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. 

Here are a few ideas that would work beautifully on YOUR Charcuterie Board:

•           Petits Toasts, Baguette slices

•            Dried apricots

•            Sliced Salami

•            Pecans, walnuts, almonds

•            Colby jack cheese, sharp cheddar, havarti

•            Green grapes

•            Sliced kosher dill pickles

•            Fig Spread

•            Assorted crackers

•            Sliced English cucumber

Artichoke hearts

•            Grape tomatoes

•            Ranch vegetable dip

•            Sliced carrots

•            Sliced turkey

•            Fresh raspberries

•            Olives: plain or stuffed

•            Sliced fruit: apples, pears, oranges, melon

•            Whole strawberries, raspberries, blueberries

•            Cured meats: ham, pepperoni, prosciutto

•            Round crackers: Ritz, Breton Cabaret, Breton Sesame

•            Celery sliced

•            Radishes sliced

•            Brie cheese wheel

•            Fresh mozzarella balls

•            Small gherkins pickles

Enjoy serious grazing at your next event!  Jonelle'