Simple, easy and no cooking involved! Can you say ‘winning!’
With the upcoming holiday visions of charcuterie, cheese, and crudités dance in my head. I put together this board for my husband’s birthday dinner this week and almost everything was gone by the end of the night. I love adding honey especially in the colder months. It pairs so nicely with cheeses and fruits and it is said to boost the immune system during this season of cold and flu. Honey has also become my souvenir of choice when traveling, I scout out local honeys 
I can bring back home to enjoy. The one on the board is one of the best honeys I’ve ever tasted out of Paris, Kentucky by Glen&Mary Abney Apiary and the one in the jar is the ever so sought after Tupelo Honey from @gulfcountyfl .
Nothing is as easy and crowd pleasing as a big plate of fresh, whole foods. If you find yourself entertaining this holiday, here is how you can put together a great charcuterie (pronounced /ʃɑrˌkuːtəˈriː/ I just love saying it) and cheese plate.
Tips for your charcuterie and cheese plate:
- Odd number of meat and cheeses – A balance of odds is visually appealing and reflective in all the arts.
- Visually served all together on a big cheese board is nice.
- Having a great serving piece is key, MyScoop loves Europe2You which uses reclaimed European wood to create their cheese boards. You can find them at Williams-Sonoma.
Here is your shopping list (remember even if you buy your meats as whole sausage you can have the deli slice them for you):
Meats (Pick 1-3)
- Soppressata
- Capicola
- Prosciutto
- Hard Salami
- Serrano Ham
- Mortadella
Cheeses (Pick 3 or 5)
- Soft and stinky cheese (Brie, Camembert, Taleggio)
- Chevre (I have to have goat cheese on my cheese plate, pair it with pepper jelly and fruit)
- Blue cheese (Roquefort, Danablu, Gorgonzola, and Blue Stilton)
- Semi-Soft (Butterkase, Gouda, Lappi, Port Salut)
- Semi-Firm (Edam, Fontina, Gruyere – on of these rolled up in one of the meats – yum!)
- Hard Cheese (Manchego paired with honey is out of this world, Romano, Parmesan)
Accompaniments (Pick 5-7)
- Apples, sliced
- Pears, sliced
- Blackberries
- Dried apricots
- Grapes
- Almonds
- Pecans
- Honey
- Quince paste
- Fig paste
- Pepper jelly
- Olives, a variety
- Caper berries
- Pickles or other pickled fruits
- Tomatoes in balsamic and olive oil
Don’t forget your crackers too!
Other board inspiration: