Grazing Boards
Grazing board, charcuterie board, cheese board or whatever you choose to call it is a crowd pleaser, as well as a great snacking option for one.
What is a charcuterie (pronouced shar-koo-tuh-ree) board anyway? Charcuterie is a term for cured meats and, charcuterie boards, well are just a fancy way of beautifully presenting cured meats, cheeses and veggies, also known as crudite in a manor that pleasing to a crowd. I think I've always been fascinated with charcuterie/grazing boards. When I was young I would sit on the steps of my grandmother's house and watch while she would set up for some social gathering she was having in her home. I would sneak into the kitchen and sneak sweet gherkins off of her crudite trays and just admire how graceful she was with her hospitality.
“Hospitality is not about inviting people into your perfect home. It's about inviting people into your imperfect heart.”
Today I'm covering grazing boards because they seem daunting but they are really an easy no cooking required bounty of goodness. These boards are an extension of you as the host, a mirror your mood, heart and desire to bring your guest closer together. They can easily become the center of your event as your guest gather around to share conversation and the many treats you've laid out before them on this sumptuous board.
So let's begin!
Choosing your vessel
Are you feeding a crowd, a few or just you? Once you figure out your vessel for the size of your crowd then think about what will be featured on your board. Will you need additional small dishes and bowls to hold those items or will your vessel be sufficient.
Choosing your meats and cheeses
When you are building a board you want to think about your crowd and if anyone has a special food diet such as Gluten-free, Keto or Pescatarian. Most boards will cover any type of diet but if you have Pescatarian friends consider including smoked seafood such as salmon, herring (i.e. Kipper), or even sardines. Of course in my humble opinion I would place your smellier seafood on small dishes of there own so they don't mingle too much with the other meats. You will want to choose a variety of cured meat such as prosciutto di parma, uncured salami, smoky chorizo, you get the picture. But just a reminder don't forget sausage and even a yummy pate. As with our smoked fish you will also want to use a similar principle as it applies to our cheese choices.
When considering my cheeses blue cheese is a must because of its beautiful veining and crumbly texture, however, it may be a bit pungent for some. I place my blue cheese on a petite pedestal stand paired with a sweet jam or complementing spread to add visual height and interest to my overall board. The purpose of pairing is to provide suggestions to your guest to give them hints at items that might go well together. In addition to the mighty blue you will want to include aged hard cheese such as a cheddar, a soft and creamy such as brie and even a crumbly like feta add variety. Each of these cheeses serve a purpose on the board for example blue pairs well with dried fruit, cheddar is a stand alone champ and our soft brie is lovely with olives/nuts.
Rounding out our board
Now that we've done the heavy lifting of the meat and cheese lets round out our board with sweet and savory flavors that add texture, color and variety to our spread. This can come in many forms but I like to use fruits, pickled veggies like olives, pickles and artichokes. In addition to these choices feel free to add sweet spreads and jams like this amazing hot pepper berry bacon jam by Terrapin Ridge Farms I purchased at Central Market in Plano, TX when I curated this large & petite board for a feast and just for me while shooting.
I added in some toasted rosemary bread, nut crackers and scrumptious Marcona almonds that you can get in bulk at Central Market as well. I go into a little more detail about these almonds and my Central Market haul in the video tutorial. A few final accompaniments to meet the needs of your carrying guest are almond flour crackers, Parmesan cheese crisp and fresh fruits and berries.
Finally as you prepare to set out your board for your guest consider wine pairings and make sure to have plenty to go around. A rule of thumb is 2 oz of meat and 2 oz cheese per guest and approximately 2 glasses of wine per person.
