Sweet dreams are made of cheese.
Charcuterie (shar-KOO-ta-REE). Sounds fancy, right? The word charcuterie itself is French in origin, roughly translated from the words chair (meaning flesh) and cuit (meaning cooked), and it was used to describe delicatessens specializing in dressed meats and meat dishes. But guests are no longer flocking to just the salami and brie. While charcuterie was once heavily influenced by dried pork pairings, modern-day charcuterie has certainly expanded the horizon of pairing possibilities — including charcuterie boards made with no meat at all.
Harvest Board by Grate and Bread
Celebrating fall’s harvest, Grate and Bread created this bountiful board to combine all things sweet and savory — just like a traditional Thanksgiving feast! Featuring Italian salami and a variety of savory cheeses, such as Rogue smokey blue cheese, garlic and herb Bellavitano, and Cotswold Double Gloucester, each can be paired with Mike’s Hot Honey, candied oranges, pecan pralines, and honey sesame cashews.
Ingredients:
- Pumpkin-shaped citrus mouse cakes
- Mike’s Hot Honey
- Honey sesame cashews
- Smoked gouda dip
- Champagne grapes
- Candied oranges
- Pecan pralines
- Rogue smokey blue cheese
- Aux Arc cheese
- Mission figs
- Mandarin orange
- Garlic & Herb bellavitano
- Maple leaf cookiesItalian salami
- Cotswold Double Gloucester
For decoration:
- Leaves and branches
- White chocolate pumpkins
- Edible flowers
Holiday Board by Amazing Graze
’Tis the season to eat, drink, and free the cranberry! This charcuterie board, crafted by Amazing Graze, features all the winter berry favorites like cranberry goat cheese and cranberry jam. While cranberries tend to be bold in flavor, pairing them with dark chocolate, white cheddar, pistachios, fig crisps, and merlot cheese gives each bite a perfect balance of flavors.
Don’t know where to start? Try pairing the brie, fig crisps, and honey together.
Ingredients:
- Cranberry goat cheese
- Cranberry white cheddar
- Candied cranberries
- Cranberry jam
- Craisins
- Pistachios
- Fig crisps
For decoration:
- Oranges and orange leaves
- Pinecones
- Holiday ribbon
- Ornaments
- Berry branches
Before you begin –– Check that the board is safe for food or apply butcher block sealer.
Board basics
- When selecting ingredients, think about flavors and colors that complement each other.
- Use ramekins for dips and oil- or water-based items.
- Avoid same category foods from touching.
- Consider portion sizes when shopping for ingredients. Generally two ounces of cheese and one ounce of meat per person is enough.
- Try working with uneven numbers foreach food category.
- Don’t stress about placement. You can move and adjust as you go.
Making it look pretty
The ultimate charcuterie board is made up of food that complements each other all on one big board. First, place your large items, bowls, or containers. Then, it’s time for cheese. Lay your blocks and wedges and then add in your slices. With your dips and cheese placed, you can arrange your meats in a winding shape through the center, by layering them on the outer edges, or by placing them in sections around the board. Once you’ve got all your basics down, you’ll see there area few small gaps. Go ahead and fill those with your fruit, crackers, or any type of fun extras like candied fruits that complement your meat and cheese selection. And finally, top off your board with colorful garnishes or decorate around your board to go with your theme. These bits are often just for aesthetics and can include anything from leaves and herbs to ornaments or even edible glitter.
Party Board by Creatively Candice
When it’s time to party, what could be better than celebrating with your favorite sparkling beverage and a sweet charcuterie board? This celebratory party board, by Creatively Candice, can fuel the party from its start until well past midnight. Spotlighting delicious sweets like lemon sorbet, pâté puffs, mochi balls, and phyllo tarts, each are made with a special ingredient — Champagne!
Ingredients:
- Champagne-soaked peaches
- Lemon Champagne sorbet
- Camembert phyllo tarts topped with fig, peach, and apricot Champagne glaze
- Pâte à choux puffs with Champagne cream
- Peach hummus with Champagne
- Mochi Champagne balls
- Arrowhead Apiaries honey
