Tips For Creating A Fabulous Charcuterie Board & Giveaway!!

*Guest Post by Natalie Taylor*

One of the great things about travelling to distant lands is the food habits you can pick up while there. When I was in Italy, I learned that sitting by the piazza over long, lingering meals is de rigueur. That may be why I was there for so long! In addition to having regions specialized towards ingredients and all of the gelato in the world, the food that continued to bring me back to Italy when I returned home from my adventures was San Daniele Prosciutto…

Whether topped on a salad, in a sandwich, as part of a platter, or ahem, eaten by the package as a whole–when in Rome!– prosciutto is one of those foods that transports me back to my travels. Le sigh, we could learn a thing or two from the Italians — like celebrating the little moments by combining simple platters to share with friends. So with San Daniele’s Prosciutto and Mastro Genoa Salami in hand, here are a few of my tips for creating a fabulous charcuterie board…

1. Layer Your Meats. Thin, dry cured meats like San Daniele Prosciutto and thicker meats like Mastro Genoa Salami add a nice dimension to your board and give variety. I love that Mastro offers different flavours of salami like smoked paprika and truffle. If you want to mix it up, I’d also opt for a rillette if you can.

2. Cheese Variety. A mix of 3-5 cheeses that range in flavour from mild to stinky are key for a charcuterie board, especially if you’re entertaining for a party. If you’re keeping to an Italian theme, you can stick to classics like provolone or parmesan–which go well with San Daniele and Mastro’s meats — but try something new, like Sottocenere or Chateau de Bourgogne (in lieu of brie or goat cheese) and taste test amongst your friends.

3. Add Textures. This is where you can make it fun (and also use up all of those condiments in your fridge!). A dollop of grainy mustard; a bowl of honey; fruits like grapes, strawberries, dried apricots, figs, pears, or cranberries; and of course, olives and pickles will really amp up your board not to mention make for a vibrant flat lay on Instagram!

4. Bread. Who says you have to go Paleo or Whole 30 yet?! Not when making a charcuterie board! Whether it’s a baguette,  special loaf (like an olive bread) or fancy crackers (I love those Raincoast Crisps), this is yet another way to amp up your board and have a base for the cheese and meat.

5. Play Around. Charcuterie boards don’t have to be solely for night entertaining. Afternoon friend dates or a surprise breakfast for a loved one are a great way to test different ways to use charcuterie boards. For instance, you may want to put out asparagus for a healthy option in which to wrap your prosciutto; or add more fruits than cheeses for a breakfast board. Or try different types of drinks to go with your board (it doesn’t necessarily have to be alcoholic!). See what’s in your fridge and how you can use different ingredients you haven’t thought of. Variety and experimenting are the beauty of charcuterie boards: make it your own!

Giveaway!!

We’re going to make it a bit easier for you to get started on your board by sending one, lucky reader a charcuterie board and some goodies. To enter, just leave a comment below and tell us what your must-have charcuterie board ingredients are when entertaining guests. Make sure to also fill out the Rafflecopter entry (that’s how the winner will be randomly selected). Wishing you all the best of luck and many delicious days/nights ahead!

UPDATE: this giveaway is now closed. The winner is… Andreia D. Congrats!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post was sponsored by Sofina Foods. As always, all reviews and opinions are my own. Hope you enjoyed our tips for creating a fabulous charcuterie board! Can’t wait to see what you guys feature on yours.