A charcuterie board is an easy way to impress!

1. Whether your guests are vegetarian, gluten free, healthy, indulgent – there is something here for everyone. Guests can casually graze the table at their leisure, so there is no need to worry about a timing component of serving food.

2. The easiest party prep - no cooking required! You do not have to worry about timing, temperatures or making a mess in the kitchen!

3. It is so much fun to design and assemble. Start laying out an hour before the party and you will be ready to go!

4. When the party is over, you can roll up the butcher paper and throw it away.

5. There are no rules! You can be creative - just walk through the grocery store and find things that look colorful and delicious. See ideas for an Asian inspired charcuterie board HERE.

YOU CAN DO THIS!
Collect all of the ingredients. I like to go to Trader Joes to get the bulk of the items, and take a second trip to a specialty market to find some fun gourmet pieces.

Line a table or serving surface with butcher paper and tape it down so the paper is tight. Layer 3 long sheets of wax paper on top of the butcher paper, and tape down to create a “runway” for the items you are about to place out.

I suggest finding a “centerpiece” to be the focal middle item. For this board, I used an un-sliced end piece of prosciutto. Other examples could be a tower of crackers, the top of a pineapple, a large bunch of grapes, etc. Start with your centerpiece, and build out the board from there. For visual consistency, keep the board symmetric and somewhat mirror what you are placing out on each side. For example, if I add mozzarella on one side of the table, I will add an equally sized pile of mozzarella on the other side. Continue placing out your items, packing them closely together, until the board is almost full. Fill any open spaces with crackers or toasts.

INGREDIENTS FOR THIS BOARD:

FRUITS
Grapes
Apples (sliced & whole)
Pears (sliced & whole)
Pomegranate Seeds
Melon
Raspberries
Dried Pears
Dried Apricots

VEGETABLES
Artichoke hearts
Tomato/Mozzarella/Basil Skewers
Olives
Cucumber
Radish
Cauliflower
Mushrooms
Roasted peppers (yellow & red)
Cornichons
Dried Okra

DIPS
Honey
Ricotta
Apple Jam
Quince Jelly
Smoked Salmon Dip
Spinach Artichoke Dip

MEATS
Salami
Chorizo
Prosciutto
Pepperoni

CHEESES
Brie
Smoked Havarti
Camembert
Boursin
Gouda
Blue Cheese

GARNISH
Rosemary
Mint
Baby Gourds/Pumpkins

MISC
Almonds
Grape Leaves
Crackers
Bread Twists