How to Create the Perfect Charcuterie Board for the Holidays
A well-designed charcuterie platter is always a favorite among hosts and guests.
When it comes to entertaining, a charcuterie board is always a popular option for hosts and guests alike. From the stunning presentation to the wide variety of meats, cheeses, and other tasty items that can be included on a platter, the sky’s the limit when it comes to your charcuterie creativity.
Even though entertaining for the holidays may look a little different this year, you can still whip up a nice platter at home to enjoy at home with those you love or on your own! We chatted with California-based chef Jenny Messing, founder of Graes Provisions, a catering company that specializes in creating unique and beautiful cheese and charcuterie, fruit, and crudités platters.
Messing shared her top tips and favorite ways to build the perfect charcuterie board for the holidays or any other occasion. Read on to discover and try them out for yourself:
Jenny Messing is a California-based chef and the founder of Graes Provisions, a catering company that specializes in creating unique and beautiful food platters.
1. Cheese.
The ideal cheese board should include a variety of hard and soft cheeses, and different flavors as well.
Obviously the most important component to a cheese board! Our Graes DIY cheese board kits include four cheeses: Point Reyes Toma, Beehive Barely Buzzed, Petit Creme Brie, and Chevoo Goat Cheese (The Dill Pollen + Garlic flavor is fantastic!) These offer a really nice mix of flavors for everyone. Try to get a variety of hard and soft cheeses, and different flavors as well.
Slice the hard cheeses; I find that more of the cheese will get eaten if it's sliced into bite-sized pieces.
Place cheese on board; I like to fan out the slices out in a pattern for a pretty presentation.
For Brie/soft cheeses, I like to slice the wheel in half so that it's easy for people to use a knife and scoop it out.
2. Spreads
A good spread can enhance the cheese you eat it with.
Place each spread next to the cheese you want to eat it with.
Peach chamomile spread pairs well with Brie, honeycomb spread pairs well with cheddar. I like Mt. Tam Honey—perfect small jars for platters.
3. Meats
Meat can be double-folded like a bouquet or laid flat and stacked to create an edge around the board.
A double-fold method is great for meat presentation, almost like a bouquet.
I also like to leave some meat flat and stacked to create an edge around the board.
4. Add-Ons
A wide variety of add-ons will enhance any charcuterie platter.
Marcona almonds marinated in a little bit of olive oil and sea salt (Saltverk specifically, if you're making your own olive oil and salt combo) are always a great choice. Fill these into empty pockets as you go and spread them around the board. You can buy Saltverk here.
Dried apricots are an easy and delicious way to bring some color to the board. Add them in the pockets around the board as well.
Cornichon pickles give the board more texture and flavor. It's always great to have something pickled on the cheese board to act as a palate cleanser between bites.
Fresh berries add a fruity, tart complementary flavor. I like to slice some blackberries in half and place them on top of a small pile of Marcona almonds. I like to save any "special" berries (ie. a raspberry that still has the top stem on it) and decorate with them at the end as a garnish.
Chocolate. Don't be afraid to add in some high-quality chocolate chunks to your cheese board, especially if you're looking to create a sweet and savory board. I prefer Omnom chocolates, since they're a bean-to-bar chocolatier, but they also have some really unique flavors that complement the cheeses. You can buy Omnom here.
Crackers or bread. If you're using a board that's big enough, feel free to incorporate these into the cheese board. If your board is too small, simply place the crackers or bread slices in a bowl on the side and serve with the cheese board.
5. Garnish
Edible flowers are a great way to add color and festivity to any cheese board.
Edible flowers are an easy way to instantly cheer up any cheese board. I like to place these on any item on the board that's brown or dark in color (meats, chocolates, blackberries) to add some brightness.
Wax flowers. The final touch to the perfect charcuterie board. Trim the stems and tuck the flowers into areas that could use a little more color or contrast. For winter-themed boards, a sprig of fir adds some festive flair.
Lastly, add the serving utensils to the spreads and cheeses so guests can easily grab what they want.
6. Pairings
Different wines also pair nicely with different meats and other items on the board.
Super important: Don't forget the wine! My go-to is anything from Josh Cellars, a high-quality California wine at an affordable price. Their Prosecco pairs great with cheese boards, especially if you're celebrating. And a balanced red like a cabernet will pair nicely with the meats on the board or boards that feature rich chocolate or anything pickled. You can pick up Josh Cellars wines online at Drizly, Instacart, Minibar, and more.
For more information, visit graesprovisions.com and follow on Instagram: @graes_provisions
[Images courtesy of Graes Provisions and individual brands]
Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk