A Cut Above- Charcuterie Boards
When it comes to entertaining, or simply relaxing at home on any given Sunday afternoon cheering on my beloved Pats, time and time again I will reach for a well-curated charcuterie board first. While a plate stacked high with an assortment of meats and cheese may seem pretty straightforward, not all charcuterie boards are created equal. Knowing how to create balance on your board is key, and I have some tips, gleaned from years of taste testing, that are certainly worthy of sharing. If you haven’t already, please grab yourself a snack and a glass of wine before you read on!
Balance, balance, balance, let’s talk balance. A truly successful and special-event worthy charcuterie board includes numerous different flavor profiles, including salty, sweet, savory, briny, creamy, tart, and tangy. Individually, each of these elements are undeniably delicious. However, when paired together in the right way, they can create a gastronomic symphony! No, I’m not exaggerating!
I like to assemble my charcuterie boards like you would build a house or design a space- I start with the foundation and go from there. That brings me to cheese, in my opinion the key element of any charcuterie board! I always include a combination of hard and soft, as well as firm and creamy cheese, representing a variety of different countries of origin, textures, and flavor profiles.
Some of my go-tos include triple-creme brie, iberico or manchego from Spain, goat’s milk cheddar, costwold double gloucester with chives, toscano soaked in syrah, and anything with truffle. I also love to include a beautiful goat cheese which is perfect for spreading and pairing with other elements from the board. While I tend to be more of a classicist, I do like to experiment with seasonal or unique goat milk cheese log flavors, including blueberry vanilla, honey, and spicy red pepper.
While I adore visiting boutique wine and cheese shops, my all-time favorite place to buy cheese from is Trader Joe’s! They have a mid-sized but mighty cheese selection that is well-curated and always fresh at very affordable prices. Trader Joe’s also tends to feature seasonal and holiday selections which are always fun to experiment with.
Pro tip: Trader Joe’s includes accoutrements including marinated olives, dips, meats, and other accompaniments right in the cheese section. If you need inspiration, look no further than the top shelf!
Next up, while constructing the foundation of our charcuterie board “house,” is meat! My favorites are spicy Spanish chorizo and Genoa salami, but you can really go wherever your taste buds take you! Some great options include prosciutto, serrano ham, mortadella, good ol’ fashioned pepperoni, uncured sopressata, and duck sausage. I like to include a pate or terrine in order to add a unique texture to accompany the typical assortment of cured meats and sausages.
Another key element of any charcuterie board is the “extras.” I’m talking olives, spicy red pepper jelly, black currant jam, raw honey, and stone ground mustard. While they may be peripheral, these elements truly pump any charcuterie board up a notch, and they’re essential for creating harmony in each bite.
Selecting an actual board for your charcuterie board is half the fun. I prefer more surface area to spread out the charcuterie elements, and to make for easier picking!
