How to build a cheese plate
Charcuterie boards seem to be all the rage and so many bloggers aout there aretalking about them. That being said Charcuterie boards are my go to appetizers when I’m entertaining so I felt like I had to speak to them. Here’s the thing though, a cheese and meat assortment can get expensive, but there are definitely ways to keep the price down. I love to do a high/low board. I have some favorite cheeses that are quite expensive, but I also have some that are very affordable. I usually keep the meat fairly straight forward and have my go to crackers and then buy anything that looks good to fill the plate. This is the best thing about charcuterie boards, you can literally put anything on them! All that being said here are my tips to building a delicious board for your next party.
Charcuterie Board Tips:
Some of my go-to items to build. my cheese board.
No one will know, or care, if you build a budget board. Trader Joes has some of my favorite cheeses and they are all under $6.00 for a wedge. If you don’t have a Trader Joes close by, just go to your local store and pick up what’s on sale. It’s best to get 2 creamy, 1 cheddar, and 1 hard cheese like a Toscano. As for all the fillers grab what ever is on sale. Meats, nuts, fruit, crackers, whatever. I promise no one will know!
Fill in the board with seasonal fruits and veggies.
Give your board some crunch. I love candied nuts and corn nuts.
Gotta have olives. My favorite are castelvetrano olives. Pick your favorite!
Add an assortment of bread and crackers. My favorite are the Rustic Bakery crackers and shortbread along with Mitica Taralli crackers.
Don’t forget something sweet! Add chocolate covered things, cookies, or even gummies! Sour gummy bears is one of my favorite items to add to a cheese board. Yes, it may sound weird but I promise people love it.
Summing all these points into 1 - Build a board that is true to you. Express yourself with it ;)
Entertaining Tips:
If there is anything to prep, do so ahead of time. If you’re serving a hard cheese, cut it into cubes so your guests can just grab a few bites.
Build your board about 30 minutes before your guests arrive.
