Creating The Best Charcuterie Board
And just like that, the busy end-of-year and holiday season is upon us once again. I can hardly believe it! It always feels like the days go by faster and faster as we approach the end of each year.
I’m not sure what busyness is awaiting you all at home in the next few weeks, but I know I have a lot on my plate! Hosting family get-togethers, holiday events for Everest at school, and as the holidays tend to do…a lot of time cooking and baking.
As the air starts to feel increasingly more festive (and chillier!), it's always clever to have a plan for how you’re going to entertain family and friends. When there’s a lot of mouths to feed and a variety of different dietary preferences, this can prove to be a difficult task. For these reasons, I’m forever a big fan of charcuterie boards.
Putting together charcuterie is a great way to make sure that everyone can get some snacks that they enjoy, can be pretty easy to put together, and it can present beautifully at a party or social gathering!
However, there IS in fact a bit of an art in putting together the perfect charcuterie for happy smiles and happy tummies. So let’s talk about strategy! I’m going to share my tips and tricks on how to put together the best charcuterie for sharing at your next gathering.
Check the fridge and pantry first.
You never know what delicious items you might already have in the house! Using what we already have is a great way to reduce food waste and not go overboard at the supermarket. Dried fruits, nuts, raspberry jam, or a half-full jar of pistachio butter are all examples of things that can fit in great with a charcuterie board, and many of us already have them at home.
In our house, you’ll always find a jar of Nuttinosh pistachio butter. The rich and delicious flavor of pistachios can make a fabulous addition to any fruits, cheeses and other snacks on the table!
I am also excited to share that you can bundle and save this holiday season! You can now order a 2-pack or 4-pack for all of your holiday baking or celebrating needs! You can place an order online right here on the Nuttinosh website.
Variety is key!
One of the keys to creating a delicious smorgasbord for your family or holiday guests is variety. Think about trying to create fun flavor combinations with sweet, savory, salty, spicy, or crunchy. The reason that I love to include our pistachio butter is to bring a unique flavor to mix and match with. Because the flavor of pistachios flex between sweet and savory, it can pair with all kinds of food offerings!
Here are some foods that I love to incorporate into my charcuterie boards:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Nuts like cashews, pecans, and pistachios
- Jams and Spreads (Did someone say Nuttinosh?)
- Meats like prosciutto or smoked fish
- Cheeses like brie, gouda, cheddar, or goat
- Crackers or Grains
I recommend choosing a few different types of each food item to really encourage lots of variety, and to please any guest! Some of my favorite places to shop are Trader Joe’s for more budget-friendly shopping, and my local grocery co-ops for tasty local options.
Arrange the board to be functional, but also pretty.
The great part of putting together a charcuterie board is that its meant for sharing with others - but we have to make it easy to share! Try to make sure that you have utensils like cheese knives and little spoons for spreads that guests can use. If you’d like, you can even label your meats and cheeses so that folks know what’s being served on the board.
Now comes the fun part: making the board look beautiful! You can arrange slices of fruit or put out small jars or bowls instead of any original packaging. So much of the excitement of a crowd-pleasing charcuterie is in the “art” of arranging your foods in a way that is both stylish and easy to share.
You can consult the internet for inspiration to channel your inner Martha Stewart and make it happen! Happy arranging!
Don’t miss your chance to bundle with our 2 and 4-pack deals available on our site! I’m so glad to offer this through the holidays again this year, it makes a perfect gift for the foodie or baker in your life.
Happy Nuttidays everyone, and thank you for shopping local this year! Your pals at Nuttinosh are sending you lots of joy this season, and are grateful for your continued support all year long.