DIY Charcuterie Board

There is no one magic formula for a great charcuterie board. In general it should have a mix of sweet, salty, crunchy, fruity and rich. So think contrasting flavors, textures and shapes. Smooth creamy cheese with crisp hard crackers, ripe, juicy fruit with crunchy aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, salty olives with sweet cheeses such as Gruyere and Comte.

Here are some additional pointers (and recipes):   

 1. Charcuterie boards are a good opportunity to use up condiments and bits and pieces of things from the fridge. Jams, spreads, cheeses, deli meats, pickled veggies, and vegetables can all be put to good use with a little love. That mango chutney in the back of the fridge? Now's the time to use it. Pimento cheese, yes please.

2. Intersperse dips and sauces with meats and cheeses. For spring we love strawberry jam, arugula pesto, and herby hummus interspersed with crunchy crackers, fresh soft pita, and sweet crisp carrots. Garlic White Bean Feta Dip is also a winner. 

3. Splurge on good flavorful cheeses, such as sweet and nutty Gruyere or Comte, aged Parmigianno Reggiano, aged sharp cheddar, creamy French brie and pungent goat cheese and feta. Shop in the cheese section of a good grocery store or purchase local cheeses for novelty and taste. Think creamy, hard and semi hard. 

4. Likewise good jams and condiments can go along way. Use good quality ones. We love fig preserves, lemon curd, and raspberry preserves. (Skip the grape jelly here.) Homemade jams such as our pear preserves,  and easy strawberry preserves are fantastic. Also local honey drizzled over cheese is divine. And turn run-of-the-mill balsamic vinegar into this Balsamic Syrup with a tad of turbinado sugar and some heat. 

5. For vegetables go with the season. For spring, radishes are peak and abundant at all the farmers markets and perfect for a quick pickle. Also carrots, spring onions and fresh garlic and garlic scapes. Apples fit the bill anytime. As do strawberries and cucumbers. Try this Cumin Spiced Pickled Squash.  

6. Look for good olives such as Kalamata or the royalty of olives, Castelvetrano Green Olives. We love these Warm Marinated Olives too. Oh and don't forget the nuts, Marcona salted almonds are divine. 

8. For meats, salami is king, we like calabrese and sopressata varieties. For a different texture, cut salami into wedges and bake for 25 minutes at 450F for crunchy salami chips. 

9. For breads, choose fresh baked baguettes, perfect size when thinly sliced. High end crackers will do better than ritz or saltines and are a better foil for rich cheeses. We love the long rectangular Rosemary Sea Salt Baked Mediterranean Crackers from Firehook. Pita bread or lavash are also good choices. 

Lastly add whatever novelty snacks catch your eye. We loved these crunchy okra snacks from Whole Foods.  

The charcuterie board featured here contains: crunchy okra snacks, cucumber, blackberries, grapes, baguette slices, salami, proscuitto or other meats, honey, olives, crackers, aged cheddar, goat cheese, gruyere, brie and  jam.