Charcuterie Guide
Charcuterie Guide
Charcuterie Guide
“Charcuterie” technically refers to cold cooked meats - think prosciutto - but we’ve come to refer to those beautiful wooden boards covered in all things cheese, meat, fresh produce, nuts, spreads, and more as charcuterie, pronounced: shar-COO-tur-ee. There’s no one right way to charcuterie either. You can scale up or down to serve more or less, accommodate dietary restrictions easily, use odds and ends from your fridge or pantry (that *almost* empty bag of dried cherries would be perfect), stick with themes or color palettes, etc.
THE BOARD: Wood, slate, and marble cutting boards are all the rage for adding an elegant backdrop to your holiday cheese spread, but something as simple as a sheet of parchment paper with torn edges will work just fine! The most important thing is to match the size of your board to the amount of ingredients you have.
Charcuterie Guide THE BOWLS:
THE CHEESE:
A charcuterie spread needs structure, enter cute little bowls. They’re the perfect vessel for loose ingredients like olives or almonds. Use candy dishes, ramekins, salt cellars, etc. for this, and don’t worry - they don’t need to match!
You can assume 4 oz. of cheese per person is sufficient and three to five different cheeses should do the trick. There are so many directions to go from here, but the most basic spread should include a hard cheese, a soft cheese, and a blue cheese. You may want to theme your board. An all-local board or one featuring fancy French fromage are just a few ideas. Feel free to get creative or stop by the Cheese Counter and our Cheesemonger will help you choose the cheese of your dreams.
You can find a wide variety of vegan cheeses at the Co-op as well! You can follow this guide to THE MEATS: build a vegan charcuterie board Include two to four varieties of (just remember to leave off the thinly sliced cured meats. Arrange meat, honey, and any other them in loose rolls so they’re easy animal products). to grab. Go-to options include prosciutto, salami (lots of variety here), and pancetta. Spreadable meat like pâté (chicken or duck liver) is another good option.
Charcuterie Guide THE CRACKERS:
THE PRODUCE:
Aim to include at least two (three is better) starchy options. If your board includes soft cheeses and spreads (jam, honey, pâté), you’ll want to include a baguette or other crusty fresh baked bread. Choose different flavor profiles too. For example, one board can include seedy multigrain crackers and plain water crackers.
Adding produce to your board balances the heavy and rich (and salty) flavors of meat, cheese, and bread. Fresh or dried, fruit or vegetable it will liven up your board with color and flavor. Stick with produce that can be easily picked up and holds up to being sliced or cut. We also recommend choosing fresh produce that is in season.
If you’re feeding someone who is gluten free, opt for gluten free crackers (try Simple Mills) and be sure to avoid cross contamination by keeping your gluten-containing crackers and gluten free crackers completely separate.
Charcuterie Guide BUILDING YOUR BOARD:
Start by placing your cheeses spread out over your canvas at least 30 minutes before you plan to serve (cheese at room As we just discussed, you can temperature has the fullest flago in so many directions here, but you want to include a variety vor). You may choose to slice your cheese prior to display. If of textures, flavors, and colors. you leave your cheese in whole If you’re featuring 3-5 cheeses, blocks, wheels, or half wheels, plan to include: make sure to place a few cheese knives around your board. After • 1-2 loaves of quality bread you have your cheese in place, • 1 sleeve of savory crackers • 1 small jar of savory tapenade add structure by scattering your bowls around the board. or spread • 1 small jar of sweet fruit preserves, honeycomb, or quince paste • 1-2 bowls of something salty and tangy (olives, sun dried tomatoes, preserved artichoke hearts, pickles, etc.) • 2-3 cups of fruit and berries (figs, grapes, cherry tomatoes, seasonal berries, dried apricot, etc.) • 1 cup of whole mixed nuts • optional: fresh herbs for garnish
Now place your other ingredients around the cheese and bowls. You don’t have to place all of your crackers in one corner – spread them out so they’re accessible from all angles. Continue placing the remaining ingredients around your cheese board. If you’re unsure what to place where, try putting ingredients next to each other only if they have different colors or textures.
Charcuterie Guide HOW TO STORE CHEESE:
Soft cheeses: Store paperwrapped soft cheeses in a Rewrap your cheese in parchglass container lined with a paper ment, wax paper, or specialty towel to absorb condensation. cheese paper (we carry FormatiWith the lid slightly askew (so they cum cheese paper) when you get can breathe), place in the fridge. home. Start by cutting a square Extra soft cheeses: like mozza2-3 times larger than your cheese. Wrap cheese somewhat rella that come in water or brine can remain in their liquid. tightly, as you would a present, and secure with a piece of mask- Blue cheeses: Wrap in paper and ing tape or a cute little twine store in a sealed reusable glass bow if you have the patience container to prevent the blue for that. Label with the type of cheese flavor from spreading to cheese and date wrapped. its milder brethren. Hard cheeses: After you wrap them in paper, wrap in a square of aluminum foil. This helps maintain proper moisture.
Always store cheese in the fridge, never in the freezer. That little drawer is the perfect space for your cheeses: it’s a good balance of humidity and air circulation.
CHEESE PAIRINGS CHART This chart is not the end-all-be-all of cheese pairings, but it will help get you started or provide inspiration if you’re feeling, well, uninCHEESE
TYPE
WINE/BEER PAIRING
CHARCUTERIE PAIRINGS
Mozzarella
Fresh cheese
Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Prosecco, Lambrusco
Olives, tomatoes, basil, grilled veggies
Feta
Fresh cheese
Rosé, Sauvignon Blanc
Olives, honey, melon, roasted red peppers, herbs
Charcuterie Guide CHEESE
TYPE
WINE/BEER PAIRING
CHARCUTERIE PAIRINGS
Ricotta
Fresh cheese
Prosecco, Fume Blanc
Honey, strawberries, fruit jams, pesto, tomatoes
Brie
Soft ripened cheese
California Merlot or Chardonnay
Green apples, pears, fig jam, honey, bacon, onion jam
Camembert
Soft ripened cheese
Cotes du Rhones
Cantaloupe, pecans, baguette, red berries
Chevre (Goat Cheese)
Soft cheese
Sauvignon Blanc
Figs, balsamic dressing, peppery greens, whole wheat bread, baguette, beets, almonds, fruit jam
Havarti
Semi-soft cheese
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir
Figs, raisins, walnuts, rustic breads
Muenster
Semi-soft cheese
Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Belgian ales, lagers, porters, stouts
Apples, dried fruit, pears
Provolone
Semi-soft cheese
Chianti, Pinot Grigio, lagers
Carpaccio, toasted bread, dried plums, cherries, olives, roasted red peppers, giardiniera
Taleggio
Washed-rind cheese (stinky, but good)
Saison, Pinot Noir, Rosé
Mustard, honey, chestnuts, polenta
Cheddar
Semi-firm cheese Zinfandel, Pinot Noir,
Edam
Semi-firm cheese Pinot Grigio, Riesling,
Emmental
Semi-firm cheese Merlot, Riesling,
Gouda
Semi-firm cheese Cabernet, Shiraz
Spicy nuts, olives, oat crackers
Gruyere
Semi-firm cheese Spanish sherry
Pears, lingonberry jam, figs, rosemary, marjoram
Cherries, apples, Cabernet, porter, mead, walnuts, cashews, or amber ale brown bread Chardonnay, Shiraz
Peaches, apricots, cherries, melons
Apples, grapes, Champagne, Beaujopeaches, pears, lais, light lager, or stout baguette
Charcuterie Guide CHEESE
TYPE
WINE/BEER PAIRING
CHARCUTERIE PAIRINGS
Asiago
Hard cheese
Beaujolais, Cabernet, Chianti, Sauvignon Blanc, Belgian ale, amber ale
Figs, grapes, candied pecans, and rustic breads such as sourdough, baguette, or ciabattas
Grana Padano
Hard cheese
Gavi, Chianti, Barolo, Barbaresco, Amarone, Lambrusco,
figs, dried fruits, honey, apples, arugula or lacinato kale salads
Manchego
Hard cheese
Stouts, porters, sherry, Riesling, whiskey
Honey, almonds, orange/citrus marmalade, jamón iberico
Parmessan
Hard Cheese
Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Chardonnay, Merlot, Sangiovese
Prosciutto, spiced quince, balsamic vinegar, spiced nuts
Pecorino
Hard cheese
White Burgundy, Rioja Nebbiolo, Pinot Noir,
Dry-cured meats, walnuts, hearty, winter vegetables, sausages
Gorgonzola
Blue cheese
Zinfandel, Sauternes
Grapes, honey, pistachios, gingerbread biscuits
Roquefort
Blue cheese
Riesling, Port, Sherry, or ice wines
Honey, spiced apples, meat, gingerbread biscuits
Stilton
Blue Cheese
porter, stout, Sherry, Elderberry liqueur, Cabernet Sauvignon
Honey, pecans, roasted red peppers, meat and fish, nut bread