[Note from Frolic: Today, we welcome author Amy Daws to the site. Amy’s a Top 25 Amazon bestselling romance novelist who is also a self-proclaimed expert on charcuterie board making. Take it away, Amy!]
With the holidays coming up, I’m sure many of you are getting asked to bring a dish to share for some sort of family function. And if you want to break away from the same old thing, why not try your hand at Charcuterie!
Charcuterie (pronounced “shahr-koo-ta-ree”) is an assortment of cured meats, cheeses, and various accoutrements artfully arranged on a wooden serving board.
If any of you follow me on Instagram, you know that besides writing and releasing steamy romance novels, I LOVE to whip together charcuterie boards! I started making these beautiful boards over a year ago when I began my keto diet and decided I needed more options for low carb dishes.
Now I’ll make one to showcase a new book release (hint, hint), a fun color theme, a special holiday, or just because friends are coming over. This is a dish that will seriously impress your guests! And if you want to try your hand at it, you’ll be happy to know, they aren’t that hard to make.
As you can see from my photos, anything goes! Candy, nachos, fruits, veggies, cinnamon rolls, meats, and cheeses! If it fits on a board, you can do it!
Here’s a crash course:
-World Market has some adorable charcuterie boards and this rustic round one is my favorite and currently only 19.99!
-Target also has similar option!
-Or, just use a simple wooden cutting board, serving tray, or round shallow dish!
Pro Tip: Flat charcuterie Boards are super cute but the ones with edges are great when you want to load a board up with a LOT of options. And it travels well with edges! Nothing worse than grapes rolling off your board as you attempt to walk into a friend’s house!
-Keep similar colors spread out on the board unless you’re doing a single color-theme. Don’t put orange cheese next to orange slices, separate them with a different colored food item
-Ramekins! A ramekin is a small ceramic, porcelain, or glass bowl commonly used for preparing and serving individual portions and come in a variety of sizes. These are great for dips or small items that don’t mix well with others
-Use small crackers or nuts to fill in any gaps you end up with on your board
-Cut your cheeses in different ways, slice some, cube some, and if you buy a wedge of cheese, only shave off the tip so you can leave the wedge on display until you need more
-Try to use at least one wedge of cheese…mostly because it makes your Instagram pictures look fab. But if you can’t find a wedge of cheese you’re confident serving, just slide a block of sharp cheddar into a triangle. Voila!
-Load your board up on the classics that everyone loves and go minimal on the fancy cheese because otherwise you might end up with a lot of uneaten cheese
Pro Tip: My family favorites are baby dills pickles and colby jack cut into cubes!
-A dip or cheeseball that could serve as the centerpiece — I make a homemade spinach dip but it could be anything you like!
-Colby Cheese (cut this in cubes)
-Pepperjack (cut this in slices)
-Sharp Cheddar (try to find one that’s a cool shape, like a half circle or a wedge and then cut only about a third of it and crumble the bits around it)
-A salami (fold it in half twice and bunch it into a cluster on the board)
-Summer Sausage is good or a prosciutto if you want to spend the money
-Baby Dills (these go fast so prepare to restock)
-A nut of some sort (I like pistachios)
-Snap peas
-Baby carrots
-Grapes, red or green (great filler items)
-A berry…raspberries are pretty but strawberries work too (keep in mind they might stain your board)
-Green Olives
-Goldfish if you want to be whimsical (this is my signature item and it’s great at filling holes)
-Crackers (though I usually run out of room on my board and end up just serving those off to the side)
Extra optional items if you’re going all out:
-One fancy cheese…I just guess and check with this. Make sure it’s shaped cool though. Like a wedge or a half circle.
-A honey goat cheese with a little jelly on top…yum!
-Peppered salami is nice
-Imitation crab meat
-Cocktail shrimp
Pro Tip: These charcuterie boards get expensive so ask your friends and family to go in on it with you!
And that’s your charcuterie crash course! I hope you have fun making your own charcuterie boards and be sure to tag me so I can check out your mad skills. My last pro tip is to follow the hashtag #charcuterieboard on Instagram and you’ll get TONS of inspiration. Or follow me @amydawsauthor, I’m always doing something fun!
That’s all for now. I hope you enjoy your charty for your party!
Amy Daws is an Amazon Top 25 bestselling author of sexy, contemporary romance novels. She enjoys writing love stories that take place in America, as well as across the pond in England; especially about those footy-playing Harris Brothers of hers. When Amy is not writing in a tire shop waiting room, she’s watching Gilmore Girls, or singing karaoke in the living room with her daughter while Daddy smiles awkwardly from a distance.
Website: http://www.amydawsauthor.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/amydawsauthor
Facebook Fan Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AmyDawsLondonLovers/
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/amydawsauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amydawsauthor
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