How to Make a Charcuterie

I adore a good charcuterie.  I might even venture to say that I am borderline obsessed with them.  I have no idea where this affection came from, but I am infinitely impressed by anyone who can create an impeccably beautiful and tasty spread.

As I have gotten older charcuteries have become my go-to whenever we are having a more formal get together (i.e. basically anything that does not involve watching a sporting event with friends).  I love them because they can be absolutely beautiful, accommodate any budget and offer enough variety to keep all of your guests happy.

I know that it can be overwhelming to select what to include the first time or two you create a charcuterie, but fear not!  I am here to help and am sharing a few useful tips on how to make a charcuterie that will leave your friends and family speechless.

• Cheese – A minimum of two types of cheese should be included.  Two simple selections are a hard cheddar and a softer cheese like a smoky gouda, both of which complement basic meats well.  If your budget allows, add in something tart like a goat variety and something creamy like a brie.
• Meat – Two fail safe choices are a cured dry sliced meat like salami and a paper thin muscle cut like prosciutto.  These two options go well with the two above mentioned starter cheese selections.
• Breads and Crackers – This is an area where you can add in variety and dress up your spread at a relatively low cost.  Three good choices to include are a sliced baguette, a seedy textured herbed cracker (Raincoast Crisps are a personal favorite and can be found at Whole Foods) and a plainer cracker that won’t take away from the taste of the meats and cheeses (a cracked pepper cracker adds a bit of spice and aesthetic interest to your charcuterie).
• Spreads – There are endless options of spreads to choose from.  Vegetable based spreads like this pesto artichoke spread from Cibo Naturals and a delicious olive tapenade like Meditalia’s selections (if you can get them in store at a reasonable price) are a great place to start.  Add in a cranberry spread and homemade jam for a bit of sweetness.
• Munchables – Dried fruit and nuts can be placed in small bowls in between your other offerings.  Marcona almonds and dried apricots are always crowd pleasers.  Be sure to include some type of serving spoon so guests aren’t reaching in for a helping with their hands!
• Seasonal – Enjoy season-specific additions.  A holiday charcuterie calls for sliced blood oranges and pomegranate seeds sprinkled throughout.
• Beautiful Add Ons –  Grapes are always an easy and budget friendly choice.  Honeycomb is a beautiful visual addition if you can source it locally.

I shared the simple charcuterie I threw together for our impromptu wedding party on Instagram last night.  I always have so much fun putting them together, I only wish I’d had more time with that one!  These featured examples were clearly more labor intensive than mine and yielded absolutely flawless results.  With the holiday entertaining season almost upon us, now is the perfect time to  get inspired by a gorgeous charcuterie or two.  Let the inspiration commence!