It’s Party season and a charcuterie board always looks festive.  Here’s how simple it is to build a charcuterie board

I love charcuterie boards because they have a little something for everyone.  There’s no set ‘recipe’, but here’s some handy tips, suggestions and ideas: Keep it simple! Make it colorful. And pack the board so it looks abundant. Most of all-have fun with your culinary creation!

Start with how many people are expected then you can determine the size of the board

Charcuterie boards can be a wooden board, cutting board, porcelain plate or even directly on the counter or table (thoroughly washed first of course!!).  Think outside the ‘board’-what can you craft your charcuterie board on?  There are no rules!

For 2 to 4 people use an 8-inch board

For 4 to 6 people use a 10-inch board

For 6 to 8 people use a 12-inch board

For 8 to 12 people use a 15-inch board

Pull everything out that you want on your charcuterie board including small bowls. This will enable you to see what you have to create your masterpiece with all the colors, textures and flavors.

Depending on the size of your board use 2-3 cheeses (hard and soft), 2-3 meats, 1-2 briny/pickled/marinated items, 1-2 savory dips & spreads, 2-3 fresh fruit and veggies, 1-2 sweets, 2-3 breads/crackers/crunchy things.  Fill in the small spaces with nuts and berries.

Prep before you build!  Cut the cheeses, breads, veggies, fruit first.  Now it’s time to create!

• Start with the cheeses–lay the slices or whole blocks/wheels where you want them on the board
• Place your small bowls that will contain the dips, spreads, jams, etc. around the cheeses that pair best
• Fold your salami/cured meats and lay them out in a ‘river’ around the cheeses
• Add the fruits and veggies and sweet accompaniments
• Fill in the gaps with olives, nuts, berries, crackers, and crunchy things to make the board look abundant
• If you finish building your board earlier in the day, put it in the fridge then pull it out 30-45 minutes before serving so the cheeses can come to room temperature for maximum flavor and texture

Here’s some food ideas for your charcuterie board’s shopping list

CHEESES

• Choose a variety of hard and soft cheese and cheeses made from different animals (cow, sheep, goat)
• HARD CHEESE (sliced): Manchego, Cheddar (white or orange), Swiss, Gouda, Gruyere, Fontina, Parmesan
• SOFT CHEESE (Leave whole): Brie, Triple Cream, Feta, Goat, Havarti, Burrata, Blue Cheese/Gorgonzola, Cream Cheese (with pepper jelly on top!)

MEATS

• Prosciutto, Salami, Ham, Cured Chorizo, Capicola, Soppressata, Summer Sausage
• Here’s how to create a fun meat rose for your board

FRESH FRUIT, BERRIES & VEGGIES

• Grapes (red and green), Raspberries, Blueberries, Strawberries, Blackberries
• Dried Fruits: Apricots, Cherries, Figs, Pineapple, Mango
• Grape tomatoes, Sliced Cucumbers, Sliced Red Bell Peppers

BRINY THINGS

• Olives, Cocktail onions, Cornichons, Dill Pickles, Pepperoncini

SAVORY DIPS & SPREADS

• Hummus, Tapenade, Pate, Rillettes

SWEET THINGS

• Dark Chocolate, Chocolate Covered Nuts, Honey Comb, Fig Jam, Apple Butter, Guava Paste

NUTS

• Almonds, Candied Pecans, Pistachio, Cashews, Macadamia

CRACKERS, BREADS, CRUNCHY THINGS

• Crackers, variety of shapes, sizes, flavors-don’t forget gluten free options
• Breads, Crostini, Pita Chips, Small Breadsticks