Charcuterie Board Inspiration
Charcuterie boards are always fun to graze upon at a party or get together. They are also easy to put assemble, and pleasing to the senses! With the help of food blogger and TV personality Jessie-Sierra Ross, creator of the popular blog Straight to the Hips, Baby, we put together some charcuterie board inspiration for a festive fall gathering at my house. For a fun entertaining twist, several complementary charcuterie boards can function as an intimate meal with friends. It was so much fun to sit around the table chatting, laughing, and grazing off the boards together. Keep in mind these boards fed four adults and five children. They were definitely substantial and varied enough to satisfy everyone’s tastes and appetites.
What to Put on a Charcuterie Board
The answer is, anything! Looking at images of charcuterie boards on Pinterest or food blog websites can provide lots of inspiration. You can also make a list of the food items your friends and family enjoy, and then arrange them on a platter.
The most important thing to remember when putting together a charcuterie board is that it has a mix and match feeling. A balanced plate would contain a mix of sweet, salty, savory, acidic, and fatty elements. An acid is important to break up the fattiness of the richer foods, for example, the cheeses. We chose to use pickles as the acidic element on our board.
The second most important thing to consider is the presentation! Using items that are of a different texture and color will enliven the senses and create a charcuterie board that stands out. If a mix of elements is combined, this factor should take care of itself.
Types of Boards
Charcuterie boards can be themed. As Jessie and I presented here, we did a mixture of boards. Our main board featured soft and hard cheeses such as Manchego and goat cheese. We also included dried mix fruit, fresh berries and grapes, cured meats, cornichons, grain mustard, and fig jam.
A separate plate with strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries can highlight your best cheeses, as we did with Brie and a nice blue cheese.
A board with whole grain crackers and crisps, olives, and nuts sits nicely next to the cheese platter, where guests can graze on an assortment of goodies that complement each other.
The beautiful earth tone handmade bowls shown on the right were handmade by a friend and can be viewed at her Etsy shop.
If you liked this post, you might like Festive Fall Drink Inspiration.
What do you like to include in your charcuterie board? Let me know in a comment below!
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