Charcuterie and Wine — Effortlessly design your own board and pair it with wines you love!

Crafting your own charcuterie board is akin to embarking on a thrilling choose-your-own-adventure narrative, where the only limits are the bounds of your creativity and personal preferences. Unlike many culinary endeavors, there are no strict rules or rigid skill requirements to worry about when assembling this artful spread of cured meats, cheeses, and accoutrements. 

The end result need not be a picture-perfect presentation. The only true requirement is that it be absolutely delicious. Here are a few tips!

1. What you will need

• A board (cutting board, serving tray, countertop…any flat surface works)

• Select cured and fatty meats (Capicola, Mortadella, Prosciutto, Genoa Salami, Pepperoni).

• Cheese Please! 3 cheese selections offer a variation of flavor combinations. See our notes below for “Cheese, Wine, and Meet” pairings.

• In season fruits and vegetables (great for adding color!)

• Crackers or a fresh baguette

• Dips - we love putting cups of hummus on our boards.

• Insert olives and other small pickled or sweet 'fillers'.

Wine Club members have access to the Kascadia Book Club. This years gift will inspire you to travel, cook and read!  - “Cheese, Wine, and Bread” By Katie Quinn Join the Club

2. How to

Start with your meats and cheeses - decide if you'd rather cut them into bite size pieces, or simply place it on the board with a small knife nearby.

We suggest working from the edges of your board inwards, as this can provide a barrier for smaller items on the board that may roll off easier.

Cut your fruit and vegetables and arrange it in the middle of the board - don't forget to leave room for crackers or bread on the side!

If you find  that you have run out of room, crackers and baguette slices look great in a basket beside your board,

Fill empty spaces in with nuts, dips, and olives! Either lay these out or put them in small bowls throughout the board. Enjoy! 

3. Wine Pairings 

The best pairing for a charcuterie board will shift according to what cheeses and meats you're working with. Hard cheese with lots of intensity pair with different wines than soft, creamy cheeses that call for a wine with more delicate flavors. I like to pick the wine first, and I keep that in mind when shopping for my board ingredients!

Stay tuned for our "Cheese, Meat & Wine Pairing" article!