Dinner party planned, company coming over or taking a dish to a friends house? Be different and make a statement with something sure to please. I give you the simple charcuterie.
Charcuteries have become so popular in restaurants and with their ease of assembly, it's an instant go-to when entertaining. I have been so happy to find organic and imported cheeses, olives, crackers, fruits and spreads, even grass-fed meats to make them organic!
Your guests will enjoy the aesthetics and how beautifully your charcuterie looks and the complex flavors ready to dance on their palates. In addition you can feel good about what you are serving them!
You have so many options for food pairings, you can't go wrong with any combination, but here are a couple pairings I have success with:
I always makes sure my charcuterie has a 1 meat, 1 cheese, 1 cracker or bread, one "Extra" item like a fruit, nut or jam spread etc.... and then add another meat/cheese/cracker option depending on the size of your party and serving platter.
Now lets talk pairings~
Savory always pairs nicely with briny, a creamy cheese goes well with buttery, and smokey pairs well with sweet and fruity, for example:
A hard Cheddar, Manchego, or Jarlsberg pairs well with a Summer Sausage, Genoa, or Soppressata salami. Smoked Gouda is delicious with a fig spread or cake. A blue cheese with nice veining goes beautifully with a toasted or sugared pecan, and a brie and sliced apple combination with wheat "Triscuit Like" cracker is absolutely divine! You can even get creative by adding an herb mix on a nut like a peppered cashew or a rosemary and garlic salted macadamia nut.
A few other ideas...
~ Cut pieces of cantaloupe next to a pile of Prosciutto or Capocollo
~ A spicy mustard to accompany a summer sausage or pretzel sticks
~ Some multi-sized Green, Black, stuffed olives or even a nice pepperocini can provide a briny addition
~ A cluster of grapes, a handful cherry tomatoes, some dried apricots or cranberries will help to fill in the gaps or extra space to make your charcuterie appear bountiful.
Whether you are hosting a few friends for girls night, or going big by hosting a wedding shower, you can impress everyone with the simple formula: Meat/Cheese/Cracker + Extra. Then repeat with another M/C/C + Extra. Be different, get creative and make your simple charcuterie masterpiece that will make your guests say OMG!
Make sure to follow me on IG @organicmadegreat and Youtube for video tutorials as well!
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