Essentially EmmaMarie

A few years ago I didn’t even know what a charcuterie board was or how to create a charcuterie board—now they are one of my favorite things! Why? Because I love meat and I love cheese and these are the foods a charcuterie board is made of! 

My husband and I try to get together on a somewhat regular basis for a game night with a small group of friends. One of our favorite things we do now is to have a picnic style/charcuterie tray dinner. All of us bring different meats, cheeses, and bread or crackers as the base for our charcuterie tray as well as veggies, jams, spreads, pickles, and fruit.

Another way I have been using the charcuterie tray idea is on vacation. Lunch is so easy when all you have to do is pull out several different meats, cheeses and a cheese-cutting board! It is easy to pack and easy for everyone to access.  You can then simply make yourself as many little mini sandwiches as you want! I don’t have to worry about one sandwich not being enough and then someone being hungry because we did not bring anything else. 

To me the best part of a charcuterie board is the meat and cheese but you can also make a charcuterie board more healthy by going heavy on the fruit and vegetables!  

My favorite ingredients for a charcuterie board are: 

Base: 

·       Baguette 

·       Crackers  (I like the Triscuit-like crackers—salt and pepper flavor!)

·       Multi Grain Crackers 

Meat: 

·       Turkey  (I love smoked turkey breast. It is very versatile.)

·       Pepperoni or hard salami 

·       Ham

Cheese:

·       Pepper jack. (It spices things up!)

·       Cheddar

·       Havarti

·       Goat cheese

·       Brie

Veggies: 

·       Sugar snap peas

·       Carrots 

·       Mini bell peppers

Fruit: 

·       Grapes

·       Apples (These can be a little tricky since they brown quickly.)

·       Berries (Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries—you can’t go wrong!)

Extras and Spreads: 

·       Pickles 

·       Olive Tapenade 

·       Black raspberry jam

·       Humus

·       Artichoke spread

Some of Our Favorite Pairings: 

·       Crackers, turkey breast, Havarti cheese, olive tapenade

·       Baguettes, turkey, Havarti cheese, black raspberry jam

·       Crackers, pepperoni, cheddar, bell pepper

·       Crackers, ham, Brie cheese

·       Crackers, turkey, pepper jack cheese, artichoke spread

Other Ingredient Ideas: 

·       Pears

·       Roasted red peppers

·       Sun-dried tomatoes 

·       Spicy mustard 

·       Olives 

·       Any flavor of jam

·       Broccoli florets 

What To Consider When Setting Up Your Charcuterie Tray

The great thing about charcuterie trays is they can fit your tastes no matter what! However, if you want a few guidelines to follow here they are:

·       Include at least the options of your main items (bread, meat, and cheese).

·       Include a variety of flavors: a sweeter option, a spicy option, and classic option.

·       Don’t get too fancy with all your options, try for at least two safe choices you know people will like, then go for one more daring option. 

·       Add a little pizzazz to your board by having a sweet and a savory spread option available! 

Favorite Tools 

·       A large tray to corral everything on

·       Little knife spreaders

·       Small bowls for dip

·       A cheese slicer (The cheese slicer is what is most important to me—it is what takes all the work out of it! I take it with me because it feels easiest to me, but you can also get a handheld cheese slicer too.)

If you are looking for some ideas of how to switch things up for your Labor Day plans, I hope this will inspire you! 

Other Things You May Enjoy:

• For more party hosting tips you might enjoy Lauren Conrad’s book Celebrate 
• 7 Tips for Better Hosting
• A Friendship that Refreshes

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