The Charcuterie Board…a visually satisfying, incredibly scrumptious and easy way of entertaining guests of any size! Impressive selections of delicately sliced and cured meats, cheeses, crackers, grilled breads, dried and fresh fruits, nuts, olive oils, spreads and more create flavors that will surely please all guests! There is certainly something for everyone! I have always adored a fabulous charcuterie board from afar or building in my own kitchen. Charcuterie is an art form regardless of your style. You may choose a very rustic style with piles of market items or perhaps a very delicate and fixed presentation. I love them all as there are so many variations, colors, textures and designs. These beautiful boards are from Claudia Sheddy of My Sweet Roots!  Her amazing talent is captured in her boards, which are a variety of her favorite ingredients and no two boards are ever alike! That is the beauty!  

Foundation

Begin with your palette and size and get creative. I love repurposing wood cutting boards (like this one or this one), a stunning piece of marble (like this one) or my very favorite, an old unique piece of black slate, that was simply broken, and has now hosted many friends and family members with a vast array of ingredients.

Creating interesting color and texture

Choose seasonal ingredients that are rich in color like pomegranates, figs, and thinly sliced pears and apples. Grilled vegetables and fruit looks and taste amazing, too!  

Bowls and ramekins 

Make sure you have small bowls or tiny ramekins that can house honey (I love mine with honeycomb), unique jams, mustard, confits…the possibilities are simply endless! I LOVE the size of these porcelain serving dishes.

Cheese, please!

Brie, goat, blue, cheddar, gouda, ahhh….choose variety of soft, semi-soft and hard cheese. Offer a selection of sliced, cubed or simply in the wedge form and it will be so beautiful!  

Meats 

A variety of cured meats always finds its way on to my board. Dried and cured meats are so flavorful. Prosciutto is lovely and such a delicacy and can be beautifully staged. Soppressata is a personal favorite!  

Additional Essential Ingredients 

Crackers 

Artisan breads, sliced and grilled

Olives

Chocolate

Fresh herbs

Olive oils with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Fresh and dried fruit 

Fresh vegetables 

Gherkins or pickle selection 

Pickled vegetables 

Dips

Helpful Tips 

• One serving utensil per cheese. Offer a variety of cheese utensils that can slice, crumble, spear or crumble.  This set is fabulous and one of my personal favorites!  

• Allow cheese time to come to room temperature before serving to bring out the flavor of the cheese.  

• Crackers and bread can be served directly on the board or I like using a unique vessel is space is limited.

• Serve cheese with picks like these! Aesthetically pleasing and so practical!

Shop my charcuterie board picks: