How to make a charcuterie board: Tips, ingredients and inspiration

Charcuterie has grown in popularity significantly over the years and has come a long way since its humble beginning as simple sliced cheese and sausage with some crackers on a plate. Whether you make your own or order from one of the plethora of suppliers, there is a good chance a charcuterie board of some kind will be part of your holiday this year.

I love charcuterie, especially the cheese part, so you can imagine my excitement when I was invited to attend a Charcuterie Chalet event sponsored by Aldi.

I came to understand why the Aldi folks used the word “chalet” when I saw their “A-frame” chalet made of different cheeses, complete with a salami shingled roof. And their creativity didn’t stop there. They also made a Holiday Sweater Board featuring a pattern made from different ingredients layered to resemble the design, complete with arms.

But the display that took my breath away was the Windy City Board featuring the Chicago skyline carved entirely from cheese!

I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention the sweets board featuring artfully arranged chocolates, cookies and foil wrapped treats — an example of how the traditional board has evolved well beyond traditional cheese and crackers.

Equally as interesting were the individual serving containers offered to those in attendance. There were paper cones, small cups and even something resembling a wooden coaster that fit into the top of a glass, leaving your hand free to allow you to actually feed yourself, something difficult to do while holding both a plate and beverage at the same time. (You can find this clever creation on Amazon.)

For me, the most interesting part of attending this event was speaking with Certified Cheese Specialist Kim Brazington, Aldi’s National Cheese Buyer. Affectionately known as the Aldi Cheese Queen, she is the person responsible for curating Aldi’s extensive cheese selection. Kim shared how she enjoyed working with individual cheese purveyors to develop cheese made especially for Aldi — the most recent being an Espresso Martini Cheddar.

While sampling the selections, I tried a cheese that was unlike any other I had ever seen that had been cut in such a way as to be ruffled. While talking with Kim, I would learn the cheese was from Switzerland and is called Tete de Moine, or monk’s head. It is formed in the shape of a cylinder, and instead of being sliced it is shaved into thin flower-like rosettes using a special tool called a “girolle” that scrapes the top of the cheese.

These rosettes captured my attention because of their unique appearance, but the cheese made an impression because of its delicious nutty flavor and creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

While this is not an endorsement of Aldi, I have to say when researching this column, I visited the Aldi cheese aisle and was impressed by the variety of cheese available. There were, of course, the usual varieties I am familiar with, but I also found Garlic Jack, Mobay, Fontina de Provence, Dill Havarti, and some very interesting varieties of cheddar, including cranberry, Honey I’d Rather Be By The Sea — Salt and Honey, But First Coffee (rubbed with espresso and lavender), Mustard Seed and Ale, and Onion Balsamic. And in case you were wondering, I did look for both the Espresso Cheddar and Tete de Moine but didn’t find them, though I am definitely going to keep looking.

So, what am I going to do with all this cheese? Build a charcuterie board, of course, and I would like to invite you to join me. I will be hosting a free Zoom charcuterie class Saturday, Dec. 21, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. So, if you are curious about creating a board yourself and would like some tips, as well as the opportunity to ask questions, please consider joining me.

And, if you would like to build a board along with me, gather your favorite ingredients and have them handy when you sign on. I have provided a list of possible ingredients to help inspire you.

And because boards have moved well beyond only charcuterie, I also will be making a sweets board. So, grab your ingredients, a cup of coffee and join me for an hour before going on with your day — possibly with a beautiful and delicious board you made yourself.

To register, email me at DHCulinaryAdventures@gmail.com by 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20. I will confirm your reservation and send you a Zoom link.

If you are not able to join us but would like more information, I highly recommend the book “Platters and Boards” by Shelly Westerhausen and Wyatt Worcel. There are wonderful photos and creative ideas to inspire your own version of these trendy masterpieces.

I hope this column inspires you to look more closely at your local store’s cheese selection and to try some cheese that might be unfamiliar to you. Combine it with other typical board ingredients and you will treat your friends and family to something I am confident they will enjoy and you will proudly share. Happy holidays!

• Penny Kazmier, a wife and mother of four from South Barrington, won the 2011 Daily Herald Cook of the Week Challenge. Contact Penny at DhCulinaryAdventures@gmail.com.

Do-It-Yourself Traditional Charcuterie Board

Cheese — start with:

Spreadable cheese like goat cheese or Boursin

A wedge of Brie

Cheddar or Gouda, can be sliced or a wedge

Expand with:

Havarti

Gruyere

Manchego

Feta — seasoned or maybe topped with a drizzle of honey

Blue cheese

Shards of Parmesan or Grana Padano

The sky is the limit — visit the specialty cheese case and try something new.

Meats — start with:

Thinly sliced hard salami

Sliced prosciutto

Summer sausage

Expand with:

Capicola

Soppressata

Cured Chorizo

Pepperoni

Specialty sausages

Briny and Pickled:

Olives — pick several varieties, perhaps garlic stuffed green, kalamata, seasoned mix, tapenade

Pickled — Cornichons (mini French dill pickles), small sweet pickles, pepperoncini

Nuts — pistachios, candied pecans, cashews, salted almonds, maybe even the Marcona variety

Dips and Spreads:

Grainy mustard, honey, jams — sweet and maybe a little spicy

Vegetables and dips, if desired

Fruit:

Fresh — Red and green grapes, cut into small clusters, strawberries, figs (fresh or dried), apple slices

Dried — Apricots, cherries, mango

Something sweet:

Small pieces of good chocolate — wrapped or unwrapped

Crackers/Breads:

Select a variety of crackers in different shapes, sizes and flavors

Pita, wedges, baguette slices, maybe even a bread with dried fruit and nuts

Breadsticks — I like to put these in a small vase or container that will display them upright

Garnish, if desired: (Optional)

Sprigs of herbs like rosemary, thyme, or edible flowers

Putting it all together:

Get everything ready prior to assembling your board.

Prepare cheeses and meats into slices, if desired. Place remaining items in serving containers where appropriate. This is where you can get fancy and fold your salami like flower petals or make small prosciutto tufts.

Start assembling by placing larger or tall serving containers on the board — this may be for your breadsticks, olives and nuts.

Now build around them by placing small groupings of similar meats and cheeses on the board, noting the same item can be placed in more than one place, especially if you are feeding a crowd. Next, add smaller containers of jams and mustards.

Fill in the extra spaces with the remaining ingredients: Fruits, crackers, chocolate, herbs.

— Penny Kazmier