Taste What Europe Does Best
When it comes to entertaining, a charcuterie board is a go-to for good reason: it’s a feast for the eyes, there’s something for everyone, and no cooking is required. But who says you need to throw a fancy dinner party to get in on the charcuterie board fun? The beautiful thing about charcuterie is that it’s endlessly versatile and can be adapted to any occasion.
While charcuterie boards may feel like a modern tradition, the practice actually dates back to 15th century France, when meats were cured and served charcuterie-style. These days, cheese has become another essential charcuterie board component, and you’d be hard-pressed to find any charcuterie board without it, so be sure to include both meat and cheese on your grocery list when prepping your charcuterie board!
If you’re unsure what to put on a charcuterie board, look for products with the red PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) logo on the packaging. This means that the European Union officially recognizes them as elite, high-quality products that are made using traditional methods, so you know you’re serving the very best. A good place to start is to pick a crowd-pleasing premium cheese to build your board around, like Grana Padano PDO cheese. This historied European cheese is made using time-honoured methods developed by Italian monks almost 1000 years ago. It pairs beautifully with olives, nuts and fruits. Its natural aging process means it’s lactose-free and is packed with quality proteins, vitamins and mineral salts, especially calcium, so not only is it delicious, but it’s a cheese you can feel good about serving. Plus, it’s scrumptious in everything from risotto to pasta to soups, so you know you’ll be able to use up any leftovers (if there are any!)
Next, pick a versatile quality meat to be the star of your board — we like Prosciutto di Parma PDO because its all-natural 400-day aging process lends the delicate meat a subtly salty, sweet flavour that pairs well with everything from sparkling wine to fluffy focaccia. When shopping for it, look for the iconic gold Parma Crown and PDO logo on the packaging: this indicates its quality and authenticity and means you’re buying the absolute best prosciutto that contains no additives such as nitrites, nitrates or hormones.
Once you’ve identified these top-quality elements of your charcuterie board, you can easily build around them based on the occasion. To get you inspired, read on for our favourite creative charcuterie board ideas.
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Breakfast charcuterie board
Adding jammy soft-boiled eggs, perfectly ripe avocados and fresh fruits to a charcuterie board makes for the ultimate show-stopping breakfast spread! We love the idea of having plenty of fresh bread options like English muffins and sourdough toast available so that everyone can easily customize their own breakfast sandwich with their favourite charcuterie. Take your average bacon, egg and cheese sandwich up a notch by swapping out bacon for Prosciutto di Parma PDO and cheddar for Grana Padano PDO cheese — trust us, this will become your new go-to breakfast sandwich.
On-the-go charcuterie cup
Whether you’re heading to a picnic or your kiddo’s soccer game, assembling charcuterie cups is a fun way to bring your favourite elevated snacks on the go. This way everyone can enjoy some premium charcuterie appetizers, even if having a proper charcuterie board setup isn’t possible. It’s as simple as it sounds: just grab some to-go cups or containers, fill the bottom with heavier charcuterie items like nuts or dried fruits, then add in the lighter items like Grana Padano PDO cheese, Prosciutto di Parma PDO and crackers on top.
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Pizza night charcuterie board
The best part about preparing a pizza night charcuterie board is that the charcuterie will do double duty: you can snack on it while prepping your pizzas for the oven and use the charcuterie as pizza toppings! Swapping out typical pepperoni for Prosciutto di Parma PDO will make your at-home pizza night feel so elevated, and grating some Grana Padano PDO cheese over piping hot pizza is the ultimate flavour enhancer.
Dessert charcuterie board
At many of the world’s finest restaurants, you’ll find a savoury cheese plate on the dessert menu alongside cakes and pastries. Why not take inspiration from them and serve a dessert cheese board of your very own? Let your favourite cheeses like Grana Padano PDO be the star, and pair them with on-theme European honey and crackers. To ensure you’re buying quality Grana Padano PDO cheese, look for the yellow Grana Padano and PDO logo, which indicates authenticity and premium quality. If you’re craving something sweet to go along with your cheese, scatter in some of your favourite dark chocolate: you’d be surprised at how well chocolate and cheese go together!
Movie night charcuterie board
Movie night isn’t complete without popcorn, which just so happens to be the ideal snacking accompaniment to charcuterie meats and cheeses. Don’t forget to scatter in your favourite candies and chocolates to replicate the full movie-going experience! If you want to seriously impress your guests, try making cacio e pepe popcorn by tossing freshly popped kernels with finely grated Grana Padano PDO cheese and cracked pepper. Place a plate of freshly cut Prosciutto di Parma on the side, to nibble on with this delicious “new” popcorn! Buon appetito!
Ultimately, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to assembling a charcuterie board, so have fun with it. Tailoring your charcuterie spread to the occasion and piling it high with the very best meats, cheeses and nibbles is a simple way to show you care, and to leave your guests feeling loved and nourished.
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