One of the staples in our house outside of home décor is cheese… you’re probably thinking “Cheese Louise, this is a random post” but in all honesty, part of making a house a home is spending time with people you care about all under one roof. When we all get together, one thing that is a must is having something for friends and family to snack on.
Soooo…Today’s Design Tip Tuesday is a little different – today we are talking all about charcuterie boards. Charcuterie boards are perfect to bring to a small gathering, or can be made into an entire meal for your family. I love them because they are not only delicious but are so diverse.
You can keep it simple with meats and chesses or get fancy with it and include fresh fruits, breads and crackers, olives plus spreads like honey and jams.
Step 1: To begin designing your charcuterie board, first, choose a board, tray, or platter to be your foundation – I picked up this gorgeous long wood board with leather handles form Fresh Ideas. I recommend going with either a wood or marble because they are sturdy and make a beautiful display. Then, choose your shape. It could be round, square or a long rectangle – whatever you prefer and what will fit all of your delicious elements.
Step 2: Choose small dishes or bowls to anchor the arrangement and help contain loose items like dips, nuts, and olives. Plus, the small dishes add a depth element to your design.
Step 3: Choose the cheese. This is always my favorite part – because yummmm. Depending on your budget, I recommend going to a local cheese shop for unique, high-quality cheeses (try Minden Meat and Deli for a wide variety). Or, your local supermarket (such as Raley’s) will have a couple of good options . I always include three to five cheeses in these basic categories: a hard cheese, a soft cheese, and a blue cheese. My favorites include: BellaVitano Gold or Peppered, Pecorino Romano, and Manchego… just to name a few.
Step 4: After choosing the cheeses, include a few varieties of thinly sliced cured meats. Lay them flat or arrange them in loose rolls so they're easy for guests to pick up and nibble on. Also, I recommend including harder meats like pepperoni and salami. Columbus Hot Soppresatta is one of my all-time favorites.
Step 5: Add crackers, breadsticks and breads – who doesn’t love a good bread! Include a few starchy sidekicks, especially if your board includes soft, spreadable cheeses and jams. We love to include sourdough bread bites and Raincoast Crisps which come in a variety of flavors – we also get these at Raley’s.
Step 6: Fruits and veggies will add color and freshness to your charcuterie board. Grapes are my go-to because they are easy and come in a couple different colors. Tiny champagne grapes are also perfect to fill small holes.
Step 7: Once you have all of your tasty design elements, start by adding structure with little dishes, then place your ingredients on the board starting with the largest elements like the cheeses and meats, followed by smaller items like crackers and fill the remaining holes with fresh produce.
Step 8: Enjoy!
