How-To: Charcuterie Board
Tips and tricks for making the best cheeseboard that will please a crowd!
Tools - First you’ll need a wood board, a stone slab, or a fun tray. Anything that is large enough for a few hands, but small enough to keep your ingredients looking full. You’ll also need to have cheese knives and spreaders ready to go.
Cheese - I think to start with at least 3 different kinds of cheese: soft (like a goat cheese), hard (like a gorgonzola cheese), and another soft or hard or one in the middle (like a brie, gouda, or a cheddar). Leave at least one whole, but I like to slice up the hard cheese or cube a cheddar to add depth to the board and make for easy grabbing for your guests.
Bowls - Layer in a bowl or two. Fill it with nuts, olives, pickled anything, hummus, jam or red pepper relish.
Dried - I like to sprinkle in something dried - maybe sun-dried tomatoes, apricots, or figs.
Fresh - Fill in a few of the holes with something fresh. This can be grapes, clementine slices, or herb sprigs.
Carbs - I like to layer crackers throughout the board. I usually like to have at least two different types of options, but one, simple cracker (like these Fruit and Nut Crisps) will also do. Depending on how full your board is at the end you may also want to offer a separate bowl or basket of crackers, bread, or pita.
