Everyday Goodlife is about creating beauty, joy and love in our everyday moments. However, we especially enjoy the seasonal festivals, rituals and holidays where we can add a signature sparkle to our everyday. Charcuterie boards are a part of our daily life and add a dimension of flair even to a mundane meal or snack. Part of the fun we have is to curate goods or recipes specific to our boards and approach the arrangement as art.
Charcuterie is French for 'chair', meaning flesh and 'cuit' or cooked. The word became a 15th century name for French shops specializing in cooked pork products. We have a friend who lives in a small French village where they have a communal kitchen and the farmers process their animals and make their own cured meats. Although we have our cured meats processed, we were able to have input in the recipes and with our pastured heritage pork, we believe we get the handcrafted flavor and culinary delight for our everyday!
Arranging a charcuterie board is actually easy and fun. Meats should be complimented with an acidic addition and contrasting creamy cheeses with hard, sharper cheese works well. As long as olives are available, they make an appearance. Availability, even when bought specifically for the board is based on Eliza's penchant for olive snacks. I will share our style for putting together a board, but we hope you will experiment and find the styling of your board a way to share your own culinary art.
Everyday Goodlife Basic Charcuterie Board
Base Board: Meats and Cheeses
Summer sausages, bacon, ham, brats (yes, brats make a great addition to your board) and potted meats
We leave some sausages whole as well as having plenty of sliced rolls.
Goat cheese always shares a place on the board. It's nice to add mild, soft, creamy cheeses; sharp cheese and pungent contrasts.
To this base add a variety of dried and fresh fruits such as dried cranberries and apricots with fresh, sliced pears and decorative pomegranates. Jams, jellies both sweet and savory, are great accompaniments including local honey and some pats of butter. We also add vegetables in season or fermented. Bread and butter pickles are a staple for us as well as tiny French cornichons. And of course, olives... olive tapenade and/or an olive bar assortment of more olives, capers and savory condiments such as mustards and sauces.
Garnish with fresh herbs and arrange crackers and rustic, crusty breads to round out your creation.
When you select your board, you will know how much you will need to collect and add. I use vintage jelly jars and small bowls for variety to contain jellies and whole grain mustards. I also use appetizer forks, cheese knives and spreaders.
Start arranging your board with the meats and cheeses. Vary your offerings by slicing, folding, fanning or stacking your items. Fill in and arrange with the crackers/bread herbs and other goodies that strike your fancy, like dark chocolate :)
Shop Everydaygoodlife Co-op for handmade boards, meats and specialty items such as jams, jellies and condiments. Our storefront is open and we will provide curbside pick-up. We deliver locally and ship nationwide. Enjoy the board as your own; it can be simple or a culinary masterpiece with anything in-between!
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