The ultimate guide to creating a charcuterie board. What exactly is a charcuterie board? A charcuterie board originally was intended as a way to preserve meat before the advent of refrigeration. Charcuterie is the culinary art of preparing meat products such as bacon, salami, ham, sausage, terrines, galantines, ballotines, pâtés, and confit.
Everything evolves over time and chatcuterie boards are no different… replacing the meat and cheese trays of the past.
Charcuterie boards are not only gorgeous, they contain a combination of robust flavors for a simple no-fuss party platter!
Why charcuterie boards? The ultimate guide to creating a deliciously gorgeous charcuterie board
Today’s fascination with charcuterie boards has less to do with the specifics of what’s on the plate, and more with the visual appeal of the boards.
In January of 2019, Rebecca Jennings of Vox spoke with Marissa Mullen, best seller author of That Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life. Mullen basically regained the attention of meat and cheese trays, i.e. Charcuterie boards by gaining a following of many by displaying deliciously gorgeous photos of cheese plates and from there the phenom began. Due to Mullen’s Instagram presence, the Charcuterie has seen an increase in visibility also on Facebook and Pinterest.
Charcuterie boards can be a form of self-care.
Mullen believes putting together an eye-catching board with positive mental health practices: “Cheese plates can be an important form of artistic self-care, like flower arranging or meditative coloring books — but you can eat the results!”
What to put on a charcuterie board
Adding the ingredients to a charcuterie board is not hard to do at all. Go all out with your creativity and be prepared for a slew of compliments. I’ve included a few tips below to make sure your next party platter is the talk of the event and also memorable!
As you begin thinking about making the perfect charcuterie board, you will want to start thinking about different colors and textures to make it vibrant and interesting.
The board should look full, don’t be afraid to pile and stack them while thinking about varying the different items throughout.
Charcuterie Boards The ultimate guide to creating a deliciously gorgeous charcuterie board
First thing first. Find the right boards to build your platters. Large cutting boards, marble slabs, slate boards or ceramic platters are great options. From very simple to out right upscale, choose a board to fit your budget and occasion.
Ingredients
Meats
Try to include a variety of flavors and textures. For example a sliced pepper salami, a rolled prosciutto, pepperoni, sausages. And thoughtfully piled ham and bacon, just to name a few.
Cheeses
Use a variety of soft and hard cheese options such as Brie, Havarti, Gouda, Hot Pepper, Mozzarella, Provolone and Blue Cheese just to name a few.
Pickles, Olives and Dips
Adding small bowls filled with dill pickles, olives, jellies, mustards and delicious dips is a great way to add some zip and flavor to your board.
Bread and Crackers
Again variety is key, include buttery flaky crackers, grain crackers and thinly sliced and toasted baguettes. Pretzels are always a favorite…don’t forget those!
Fruit & Nuts
Both dried and fresh fruit will add gorgeous color and lots of flavor to your charcuterie board! As you are purchasing fruits, keep a variety of colors in mind for a beautiful board. Nuts should be shelled and salted. And to add an extra benefit, putting nuts in a separate bowl for those who have allergies to nuts will gain you some points as a thoughtful hostess.
Condiments: Spreadable Yumminess The ultimate guide to creating a deliciously gorgeous charcuterie board
Add a few spreads, jams and mustards with a variety of crackers and bread sticks.
Choose something sweet and something sour. Think about serving honeycomb, a rose-apricot jam, or a Dijonnaise sauce. It’s good to have a variety of flavors to accommodate the different palates that will be enjoying your board with you.
Most importantly, artfully arrange the platters and have fun making it! Also, enjoy the products and free pdf’s on my resources page.
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