Here’s a fun fact about me: I have a lactose sensitivity but I will NEVER give up cheese. (Picture Rose telling Jack she’ll never let go, except me holding a piece of cheese.) The love is real, y’all. In fact, one of my favorite meals isn’t a meal at all. It’s a charcuterie and cheese board combo. We’re talking all the meats and cheeses, like- enough to make a bear sandwich (Bridesmaids pun and if you haven’t seen that movie- you’re living under a rock. Well, I guess the same with the Titanic, eh?)
Charcuterie and cheeseboards are fabulous because they are SO. DANG. VERSATILE. Pick any meat you want. Pick any cheese you want. Add add something sweet, salty and crunchy and you’re done. (Oh! Don’t forget to add a glass of wine or cocktail!) The other thing I love about charcuterie and cheeseboards? There really are no rules! There are a few simple guidelines I do follow though, and I’m going to share them with you all tonight because seriously- you’re friends will be so impressed when you serve up one of these!
I usually make up two plates (contrary to these photos), both with a variety of meats, cheeses and “vehicles” (toasts and/or crackers) fruit and/or mustard spreads and fruits/olives. I’ve listed general components for guys below so you can get a better idea of what I typically like to include to give a well-rounded variety of items that compliment each other.
The items below were chosen for a party of 12 people. You can half the list and it would be great for a small group too.
Cheeses
-1 soft cheese (Brie or goats)
-1 stinky cheese (Bleue, Roquefort, Stilton)
-1 sharp or hard cheese (aged cheddar, Parmesan
OR
-1 specialty cheese (I have a Balsamic cheddar- Parm hybrid and a coffee Havarti on this particular plate)
Meats
For the meat portion of the charcuterie, I like to do a blend of whole muscle cuts (sliced thinly such as duck proscuitto) mixed with cured meats such as sausage.
1-2 Whole Muscle Cuts sliced very thin ( Proscuitto, Capicolla, Jamon)
1-2 dry cured meats/sausages (any cured meat that needs to be unwrapped)
If your guests are adventurous – 1 terrine, paté or lardo (these will add a bit of textural contrast to the other meats- and are great for those little toasty breads I’ll mention below!)
Accoutrements
-2 crispy/crusty items -(I like to have atleast one cracker and one toast- I usually buy a baguette, slice it thin and bake them at 350 on a baking sheet for 8 mins to crisp them up)
-something salty (olives and or pickles . I usually do both. ) Gardiniera is also a great alternative that adds a bit of crunch!
-a nut of some kind- roasted and seasoned or plain. For the board pictured above, I used a brown sugar roasted pecan.
-something sweet (a fruity jam, Jelly, spread or local honey comb)
-Something tangy (I.e. mustards)- I ALWAYS have some funky mustards on hand, and for this plate I used a stone ground cherry mustard.
-a fresh fruit (I like cherries, berries, figs or peaches)
- a sprig of fresh herbs or something floral (I used fresh Thyme and mint but Basil is also a readily available choice!)
This may seem a little overboard to ya’ll- it’s just a meat and cheese board for Pete’s sake! If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, just choose two items from each category above (in addition to the crackers/bread). I also want to acknowledge that building a complete meat/cheese spread can come with a little bit of a price tag, so choose wisely! Maybe include one more expensive cheese with two less expensive cheeses. Your local grocer should have a decent selection of the basics, too!
If you’re looking for something a little more foodie flare, I may suggest venturing into your local butcher shop or specialty store. Here locally in Indianapolis, I really love Smoking Goose, Moody’s Meats and Market District but most of the items you see here were purchased at my local (shitty East side) Meijer, cuz this was a last minute treat fo’ myself.
So, if you’re looking for something easy but impressive to throw together for entertaining, look no further- charcuterie and cheese board heaven is where it”s at! I’ve also linked a White Stonefruit Sangria recipe for you guys, that I made to go with this particular spread, here. I hope you’ll enjoy!
