Gone are those days when charcuterie meant cured meats. We love how versatile charcuterie boards can be– anything goes, literally. There is no limit to what you can put on these appetizer boards, from fruits and crackers to vegetables and different types of cheese. We bring you the five most exciting additions to your charcuterie board.
Mix hard and soft
Most people add only hard cheese to their charcuterie. We understand it is easier, but upping your cheese game helps enhance your charcuterie board. Mixing different types of cheese adds volume to your board, making it appear fuller.
You could add soft cheese like goat cheese to your board to give people more choices. Some people will prefer soft cheese – some would even combine both. You may want to serve the soft cheese in small bowls to avoid a mess.
Don’t limit dips and spreads
No rule states the number of dips and spreads to put on your charcuterie board. You’re free to add as much as you want. So why won’t you leverage that? You’re sure to satisfy your guests with several dips on your board.
Which dips and spreads should you add? You could use spicy honey, berry jams, hummus, artichoke dip, pesto, olive tapenade, or any other type you can lay your hands on. The more dips and spreads on your board, the more attractive it looks.
Incorporate chocolate
Chocolate on a charcuterie board? Believe us when we say it’s something you’ll keep doing. None of the contents on a charcuterie board contradicts chocolate in taste. Chocolate makes your appetizer board look significantly different– in a good way.
By ‘chocolate,’ we mean chocolate bars. All you have to do is break the chocolate bars into smaller pieces and place them on different sides. We think dark chocolate does the job better. However, you could try chocolate-covered almonds instead.
Bloom up your board
When you think of plants for your charcuterie board, you’re probably not thinking of sage. What if we told you you could add edible flowers and herbs to the appetizer board? Blooms and herbs add color to your charcuterie board.
You could add fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme to your board. Similarly, you might prefer adding blooms like carnations and violas to brighten your board. These blooms are easy to get; you only need a walk to your garden.
Mix and match fresh and dried
What’s a charcuterie board without fruits? Well, don’t just add fruits; incorporate an exciting variety. Combine fresh fruits with their dried counterparts. Pairing both variants gives your charcuterie board more variety. It also offers your guests more flavors to enjoy.
For fresh fruits, you could include fresh grapes, pears, apple slices, fresh figs, and other similar fruits. You could add dried fruits like cranberries and apricots. Moreover, dried fruits go well with cheddar and Gouda cheeses with a nutty flavor.
