Written by Christie Crawford
Clarksville, TN – “Charcuterie” as in charcuterie board. The word sounds fairly exotic as if were to come with an expensive price tag at a fancy restaurant. But in actuality, it is a pretty quick and inexpensive way to entertain. The older set will remember fondly a charcuterie board as a post-WWII way to throw a cocktail party while the trendy Lunchables generation will be posting their creations on an Instagram feed.
Once was old, it is now new again, and that rings true for charcuterie. Its name is derived from the French words “cooked flesh” and originated as a spread of cured meat found on a medieval laborer’s table. Its popularity grew throughout Europe, particularly in France, Great Britain, and even Colonial America, where charcuterie found its way into an appetizer course in more formal dinner settings.
As cocktail parties were socially vogue, finger foods became all the rage and charcuterie reappeared. But it wasn’t until the 1990s that the trend hit mainstream, with specialty stores and grocery stores featuring a variety of ingredients for creating boards. Even your favorite neighborhood restaurant has probably added it to their appetizer menu.
Nowadays, it seems like artistry and diversity of color, texture, and taste with layers and lines are carefully created on boards (typically wooden ) or even stone or ceramic slabs. The typical layout consists of raw items (nuts/fruits and vegetables), processed foods ( cured meats and cheeses), crackers, dried fruit, and chocolate. Bowls can be strategically positioned to contain wet foods and create height, while olives and nuts are attractively scattered to fill in gaps.
Diving deeper into the charcuterie fare, you can even find more options, such as vegetarian, local farm-to-table, and international, including Greek meze and Spanish tapas as well as the trending butter board from chef Joshua McFadden’s Six Seasons pairs seasonal produce with spice and herb-infused butters. Should you choose to prepare your own, check out Boardiere, an online charcuterie board company, a Shark Tank finalist, and listed on Oprah Winfrey’s Favorite Things list.
Using ingredients found right here in our farmers markets, a charcuterie board is a great way to celebrate summer outdoor parties as well as a quick picnicking option at the park, beach or even lake setting.
You can even consider building one as a snackle box by utilizing a tackle box in lieu of the traditional board or even a pizza box. I like to customize mineby combining the farm-to-table approach with a Southern twist to the menu by including:
Pimento cheese, affectionately called the caviar of the South -homemade or a great local one
(Palmetto Cheese by Pawleys Island Specialty Foods or Callie’s from Charleston, SC)
Hard cheese, perhaps one made from the local Mennonite or Amish communities
Jams or spreads,; strawberry, blackberry, peach, again homemade. Consider one with some heat such as a jalapeño, Serrano pepper, or even a good jelly.
Pickled items – pickles or pickled vegetables such as okra or green beans, or even fruit.
Locally produced country ham from Tennessee or Kentucky
Homemade cheese straws, baked chips or bread from a local bakery
Fresh fruit, including local blueberries, strawberries, and grapes
Southern pecans or peanuts
There’s no right or wrong to a charcuterie board. Tailor it to your event and change it out depending on the season. Be sure to decorate with local herbs to create some texture and color variety, as sprigs of mint and basil are an easy way to elevate. If you find this is your preferred way to party, keep on the look out for pretty bowls and spoons to add some individuality to your board. Check out your favorite stores and local markets for jars, cans, and boxes to stow away unusual items for your next soirée.
If you travel, bring back some international items to wow your guests. But most importantly, make a beautiful presentation and add a unique homemade element to make it your own.
