The Complete Guide To Charcuterie Boards

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This is what we love about charcuterie boards: all the different styles they come in, the ways to use them, and the appeal to party guests! You can't go wrong whether you give a personalized one as a wedding gift or custom design one for your own party entertainment. If you want to learn various spreads for a charcuterie board, this is the guide for you.

At Division 9 Laser Design, we engrave all types of charcuterie boards and can make them out of Whiskey Barrel Lids. We also make them out of exotic hardwood and epoxy in all different shapes and sizes. We'll use the color of your choice for the epoxy, and we can add glitter, seashells, pebbles, small stones, fishing hooks, bullets, and any embellishments you want. Furthermore, customize the wood with a monogram, last name, wedding date, or anything else you desire.

Why Charcuterie Boards Are Worth Their Salt
Here's an idea: Custom charcuterie boards make for excellent wedding gifts. The couple will use their board many times throughout the years, as it's a functional statement decor piece.

Charcuterie boards are popular for entertainment because of DIY culture, visual aesthetics, and all the themes you can use.

All About The Various Charcuterie Board Spreads
So, what food should you put on your charcuterie board? It depends on the theme you're going for, and we'll get to that. Let's start with the 3 3 3 3 Rule: You should include at least three each of meats, cheeses, starches, and accompaniments.

Additionally, you should try to balance sweet and savory snacks.

The most important part of a classic charcuterie board is deli meats. Some common but tasty ones are prosciutto, mortadella, capocollo, Spanish chorizo, soppressata, and salami.

Trendy vegetables include peppers, carrots, celery, and radishes. Pickle your vegetables a few days ahead if you want a fancier spread. When pickled, carrots, tomatoes, okra, green beans, and peppers are particularly delicious.

For a crunchier vegetable selection, try

• Purple carrots
• Watermelon beets
• English peas
• Romanesco broccoli
• Cornichons
• Include a minty, lemony white bean dip.

To impress your guests, include the following cheeses:

• A hard cheese, like the Beemster X.O. Aged Gouda, which has a mild, nutty taste
• A traditional cheese, like cheddar
• A flavorful goat cheese, such as Cypress Grove's Humboldt Fog Cheese, which is creamy on the outside with a crumbly texture on the inside
• A soft cheese, like triple creme brie

Additionally, you'll want a fresh loaf of bread with two or three types of crackers. Here are a few options to consider:

• Buttercream crackers
• Raincoast rosemary raisin crackers, which are sweeter than most
• Rustic Bakery Flatbread crackers. They're lightly salted sourdough crackers that can scoop cheese without crumbling.

Pimento cheese and rillettes are ideal cracker toppings. You could also include Italian breadsticks for dipping. Additionally, with their mild, buttery flavor, Castelvetrano olives go well with cheese, crackers, and all kinds of meats.

Adding a couple of bunches of grapes adds beauty and flavor to your spread. You could choose Canadice, muscadine, moondrop, and Concord varieties.

For a few days, try marinating sliced mushrooms in vinegar, oil, herbs, and maple syrup.

19 Charcuterie Themes To Try
Feed your guests with a theme that goes along with the occasion. Check out these delicious examples:

1. Picnic food. The food items resemble the classic “meat, cheese, and veggies” selection, but a picnic board makes for an excellent date! Ensure variety; include starch, nuts, cheese, dessert, a vegetable, condiments, and even potato chips.
2. Build your own pizza. All you have to do is arrange various pizza toppings, sauces, and bread with melted cheese in an aesthetically pleasing manner.
3. Build your own taco. This is precisely what it sounds like!
4. After-school snacks. What were all of your favorite snacks as a child? Welcome your kids with a board full of goldfish, animal crackers, Ritz crackers, Annie's gummies, Cheez-its, etc.
5. Pretzels around the world. Different nations serve their pretzels in various ways. So, research diverse ways of making pretzels. You could serve them with Wasabi, schnitzel, and more.
6. A box of chocolates. If your charcuterie board has compartments, fill each one with a different kind of chocolate.
7. Vegan. You could include vegan cheese, legumes, hummus, jam, honey, pickled vegetables, and olive oil with dill and parsley.
8. Seafood. Cocktail shrimp and small bites of fried haddock are perfect for this theme!
9. Spanish tapas. Grill heirloom pan con tomate, add a side of patatas bravas and include olives and aioli.
10. Hollywood VIP. You'll want Ritz-y food products, escargot, and chocolate-covered strawberries. You can even sprinkle edible glitter on the board!
11. Hot chocolate. There are many ways to spice up a hot chocolate. Set up mini marshmallows in a dish, chocolate sauce, caramel, maple syrup, peppermint, and any other flavors you want to try.
12. Travel-inspired. Round up snacks from all your favorite food cultures, like goat cheese, egg rolls, Belgian waffles, Irish whiskey, and pierogies.
13. Chicken wings. Cook wings in different marinades ahead of time, put a few sauces on the board, and appropriate sides, like broccoli, cauliflower, or carrots.
14. S'mores. Of course, you'll want marshmallows, crackers, hard and melted chocolate.
15. Fried potatoes. Include all your favorite variations of fried potatoes, like fries, tater tots, and chips.
16. Fair food. Think of all of your favorite snacks at the fair. You can set out mini caramel apples, apple slices with caramel dip and sprinkles, and fried dough or Oreos.
17. Kids party. I'm sure you know what kids love. Serve sweet and savory party snacks. You could have popcorn, candy, and ice cream with toppings.
18. Seasonal. Come up with foods that match the season you're in. For example, you could serve cookies with icing in the Winter. In Spring, you can use flowers for garnish.
19. Breakfast/brunch. Serve bacon, eggs, and steak on your board with mimosas on the side.

Give someone the gift of a customized charcuterie board, or get one for yourself! Call Division 9 Laser Design in Saugatuck, MI, at 616-953-2121 or complete our quote form to start the conversation.

Happy snacking!