Mother’s Day Charcuterie Board
Show your appreciation for your mom with a customized charcuterie board she can enjoy as a meal or snack on throughout the day.
What you will need:
- Platter, wooden board, piece of slate or extra-large plate. Anything goes.
- You’ll also want to have a few small bowls to fill with the liquid items like honey, chutney, chickpea hummus, edamame hummus, fresh salsa, tzatziki. For a dairy free dip – try Kite Hill cream cheese.
- Specialty utensils like butter or cheese knives for slicing/spreading and small spoons and forks are helpful.
Types of Meats and Cheeses
Keep it simple and focus on what mom loves.
Charcuterie basics usually include some combination of fruit, vegetables, meats, cheeses, carbs and sweets.
Variety is good. Mix it up with soft cheese or semi-soft cheese and hard cheese such as chevre, brie, and cheddar and aged gouda. Cheese made with different milks, such as cow, sheep or goat, can also offer different textures and flavors.
Portions range based on whether you are making your mom as an appetizer or a meal. For an appetizer, 1 oz of each cheese per person, and 2 oz if it’s a meal.
Next is the meat. A traditional board has salami, prosciutto, summer sausage to build on a variety of flavors. If your mom prefers something different or no meat at all that’s fine. There are all sorts of choices like low sodium chicken or turkey breast slices, marinated tofu, sliced hard boiled eggs, smoked fish, or edamame pods.
Add in fruits, nuts, veggies and more
This is where so much color and texture comes in and your creativity can shine. Fresh fruit and veggie ideas – baby carrots, celery sticks, sliced bell peppers, cucumber slices, roasted bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, jicama slices, sliced radishes, grapes, orange slices, and berries. For sweetness – try dates and dried fruit slices, and figs.
Nuts are a great option – almonds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, Brazil nuts
For a fermented element – try olives, kimchi, sauerkraut or pickled veggies.
Carbs
Opt for whole grain crackers – Example – Stoneground whole wheat crackers, Triscuits, Nut Thins, Mary’s Gone crackers (gluten-free), Crunchmasters (gluten-free) or Wasa Crackers. You can select 2-3 different crackers, one less than the number of cheeses you put on your board.
Assembling your board
Order matters:
Slice/cut the harder cheeses in advance for easy eating. Include a variety of shapes, like wedges and cubes. First place larger food items and small bowls on the board. Start from the middle and work your way out while arranging the items across the space.
Add in the other parts with meats (folded, rolled, sliced, or cubed) and fillers. Once you are almost done, if you have spaces left open use crackers or nuts to fill the last holes.
The final addition is the garnish. Fresh herbs like parsley or basil work well. They are edible and add a fresh aroma.
Remember, it’s the thought that counts. The more you learn about mom’s favorite foods to create her board, the better.
Other options for a charcuterie board are focusing on a theme – for example, Mediterranean, veggie or plant-based, brunch, dessert, or breakfast (fruit, yogurt, granola, boiled eggs).