Charcuterie Board: 3 Ways
Charcuterie boards are basically an adult-friendly snack party. They are the perfect solution to the relaxed pre-dinner environment when everyone is showing up for 1-2 hours before the food is actually served. That happens for everyone else too, right? Not just me?? A lot of times I include foods I know will appeal to everyone. From toddlers to my party-animal grandparents, this means I include thin-sliced salami as well as cheese puffs and roasted cashews. With a sprinkling of dark chocolate and carrot sticks, pretty much everything can find something they can munch on while laughing and taking pre-dinner pictures.
Decorating charcuterie boards is where the fun comes in. These boards are a must and a fabulous way to include a huge variety of gorgeous fruits, nuts, meats, cheeses, chocolates, or whatever your creative heart desires. Today’s food prices make it so I now don’t include as many meats, but I’m pretty sure the way it’s presented offsets that and no one notices! Below I have a couple pictures of spreads, from simple to elegant.
The three options listed below all have different strengths and appeals. Let me know which one you like best!
Style Option 1
- Grab a piece of butcher block or wooden cutting board
- Using mini, paper or glass plates, place 3-4 of your items on the plate.
- Create little piles or towers for the remaining snack options
- I like to alternate a white cheese with a deli meat and a colored dried or fresh fruit. After I’ve done that, I add in a smattering of chocolate or crunchy snack here and there.
Style Option 2
- Use a piece of butcher paper and a spare section of countertop. Tape the butcher paper to the undersides of the countertop to secure it down (like a tablecloth).
- You can choose to use little bowls or plates, or you can simply set the food selections down on the butcher paper itself in little piles.
- Experiment around and see if you can find foods that contrast and compliment the color of your butcher paper (as shown in picture 2!)
- To add some dimension, if you have some raised platters, use one or two of those (at different heights) and serve one selection on that too. Adding a flower or some fall-style berries is always fun too!
- Lastly, simply use a sharpie and label the food options on the butcher paper itself.
Style Option 3
- Using a wooden or white ceramic serving platter, place 2-3 different size bowls around the platter.
- Place the most popular snacks in those bowls
- Using the spaces between the bowls, snugly fit other snack options that contrast in color for a compact look.
- I try to contrast the color of the food either in the bowl or on the platter with whatever it’s sitting against. So, for example, I’ll put grapes in a white bowl or white cheeses or snacks in a wooden bowl for a visual appeal.
My Favorite Charcuterie Board Pieces
Grapes
Cheeses (including fun goat cheeses)
Apples and grapes
A crunch: cracker, pretzels, nuts
A hint of salty – this means olives for me!
Dark chocolate for some richness
Jams or jellies for the crunch
Thinly-sliced meats
Cute candles and flowers!
