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Charcuterie is all the rage right now. What started as a way to preserve meats prior to refrigeration has turned into a trendy culinary experience featured at restaurants, parties, and even weddings. Think you’d like to try putting together a charcuterie board at your next party? Discover everything you need to know about creating the ultimate party charcuterie.
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Variety Beats Quantity
If you want to dazzle your guests, you should include a variety of charcuterie offerings, and not just meat and cheese, either. Having many different things on the board will be more visually appealing than a few large quantities. As every chef knows, you eat with your eyes first.
Charcuterie Offerings
Charcuterie may have started with cured meat, but that doesn’t mean you can’t include other things. Use this list to incorporate different colors and textures on your next board:
- Meats
- Cheeses
- Fruit
- Olives
- Jams
- Toast
- Crackers
- Pickles
- Honeycomb
- Herb butter
Use Simple Pairings
Charcuterie and cheese board lovers often talk about putting together the right pairings, which can seem intimidating to try. The key is not to overthink it—focus on simple flavor and texture pairings, like creamy spreads on dry toast or acidic fruit spreads that cut through the flavor of hard cheese. Opposite textures usually pair well, as do contrasting flavors.
Serve an Amazing Wine
You never want your guests to go away thirsty, so why not include a delicious wine on the menu? If you grab two or three different bottles, you can turn your event into a wine tasting party. While red wine is the more traditional choice to go with charcuterie, don’t be afraid to branch out and try something new.
Presentation Is Everything
As we pointed out earlier, looking at delicious food is just as important as tasting it. Make sure to use a decorative surface as the basis for your charcuterie, whether it’s a wooden cutting board or a vintage platter. Add whole stems of fresh herbs or edible flowers to create an extra awe factor.
Pro-Tip: Make Everything Edible
Aside from serving utensils and containers for sauces, everything on a charcuterie board should be edible. For safety reasons and best presentation practices, don’t add non-edible plants or other decorations that your guests can’t eat.
Creating the ultimate party charcuterie board may sound complicated, but it’s much easier with planning and organization. If you follow these tips, your guests will have an amazing experience!
