Today we are going to put together a beautiful charcuterie board.
This is great for a casual evening with friends and some great wine or your favorite cocktails. Perfect for a Friday evening after work on the patio. It's easy to put together and takes under 30 minutes.
Our ingredients today are gorgonzola cheese, brie cheese, a cracked pepper cheddar, prosciutto, mortadella, peppered salami, hard genoa salami, grapes, strawberries, olive tapenade, roasted red peppers, sweet pickles, black berry jam, and crostini and crackers including some gluten free. And a few chocolate sponge candy sticks.
Presentation and quality ingredients are key to any good charcuterie. We did our shopping at Trader Joe's. If you haven't been there it is worth a trip. They have great quality products at reasonable prices. Their selection of cheeses alone is worth a visit.
On to the presentation. For this board we left our gorgonzola and some of the brie wedged. For the remainder of the brie we wrapped with prosciutto. The peppered salami is folded in quarters and the hard salami we displaced as a rose.
The technique for creating the rose is really simple. Use a wine glass or small bowl. Start by lining the outside of the glass or bowl and work your way to the center. Flip it over in the palm of your hand and then place the side facing the ceiling on the board.
As you place the items on the board try to create some balance of both texture and color.
Variation!
It's really a matter of what you like. Change up the fruits, cheese, and meat. Add nuts, chocolates, dried fruits, granola, and jams. If your doing it spur of the moment just take a look in your pantry and use your imagination. There is no right or wrong to what goes on the board.
For this board we paired it with a J.Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon and enjoyed it on our patio with family and friends.
Enjoy!
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