NCP Blog: Charcuterie Boards are “Grate” for Fall

“Charcuterie” is actually a French word for a type of prepared meat products like bacon, ham, sausage and other pork. It was originally a way to preserve meat before refrigerators were available, but everything old becomes new again, and charcuterie is popular today for its flavors.

 

Now, pretty much anything goes on a charcuterie board or plate! There’s truly something for everyone to enjoy, and many of us just enjoy putting them together.

How to make a charcuterie board

You can make your appetizer plate a Pinterest-worthy work of art, or it can be a super-simple, low-effort snack. It’s up to you! The website twosleevers.com has several tips for creating a great tray:

 

• Get the perfect sized board or tray- a wooden cutting board or a serving tray works great!
• Use easy-to-find ingredients- don’t feel pressured to search for fancy ingredients you’ve never heard of. Chances are, your guests haven’t either!
• Buy pre-sliced or pre-portioned ingredients- it can be a lot of work to prep everything, so make it easy on yourself!
• Use a picture or template for reference- you’ll find plenty of inspiration on Pinterest or YouTube, but don’t let it overwhelm you.
• Include brightly colored fruits and vegetables- adding color to your tray is a great way to draw attention to it
• Use lots of little bowls- this will add texture and height to your tray, plus it’s an easy way to include sauces or odd-shaped items.
• Place things in the right order and add height or dimension- start with bowls and then add crackers, meat, and cheese. Fill in the gaps with other random items.
• Combine flavors- include a variety of sweet, spicy, savory and salty!

 

But remember, these are just suggestions to help if you’re stuck. There’s no right or wrong way to create a charcuterie plate!

 

Read the full blog post…

 

 

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Related:

NCP Blog: Fall is A-Maze-Ing! (October 7, 2022)