To the uninitiated, charcuterie is essentially a big kid lunchable, except 5000x better. Salty, sweet, crunchy, and more, a charcuterie board is the dreamiest smorgasbord that ever existed. With all their parts and pieces, charcuterie boards might seem intimidating, but I promise that by following these foolproof tips and tricks from my Italian mom, you’ll be an expert in no time.
Step 1. find your flatware (aka, the thing you’re going to be placing your food on). In the photo above, I’m using a wooden board from Tag meant specifically for charcuterie, but you definitely don’t need to shell out for anything fancy! Thrift store platters, sheets of kraft paper, or even sanded pieces of reclaimed wood can all make excellent foundations for your spread.
Step 2. choose your carbs. Crackers, a baguette sliced or whole, grissini (fancy lil crunchy bread sticks), bagel crisps – all of these can be excellent choices as “vehicles” for your toppings. Depending on the size of your board, you’ll want to choose 3-4 varieties, erring on the side of too many – there’s nothing worse than running out of crackers, trust me.
Step 3. choose your cheeses. Just like with your carbs, you’ll want to choose a few varieties, typically one more than the number of types of bread/crackers. Mix types, textures, and relative level of “funkiness” for best results.
Step 4. choose your meats. I typically try to keep the number of choices equal to, or one less than the number of cheeses. Options include slices of hard sausages, shaved deli meats, or even pâtés or fish spreads. Smoked tofu slices or seitan meats can make great subs for vegetarians or vegans.
Step 5. choose some extras. Spreads, condiments, nuts, fresh and dried fruits can all add amazing color and texture to your board. The number of these isn’t super important; add as many or as little as you like. Use them to fill up any empty spaces and allow guests – and yourself – to create unique flavor combinations.
Step 6. assemble, eat.
If you still need some inspiration, here’s a sample shopping list:
Now that you’re experts, go forth my loves, and get your charc on.
xx Belle
Musings From East Johnson Street 