We always put out meats and cheeses as appetizers when we have friends coming over. Now it’s the hot thing to make a fancy “Charcuterie Board.” Charcuterie actually refers to the cured and cold meats and not the rest, but what the heck? It can be a tasty treat! Food Network has some suggestions on how to build the perfect board at https://bit.ly/3xQ6YxR. For me, a perfect charcuterie board has a mix of meats, different kinds of cheeses, fruits, and veggies. I like to have a soft cheese like goat cheese or brie together with my fav cheddar and then something sharper, like grana or aged provolone. Harry and David has a great list of cheeses with explanations at https://bit.ly/41qXwyr. As for the fruits, a combo of fresh and dried is great, like dried figs with grapes or strawberries. Fresh figs are also tasty if you can get them. Finally, something fun to drizzle on the cheeses, like honey or a nice jelly. There are some great wine-flavored jellies, but my fav is a great fig nectar that pairs wonderfully with the sharper cheeses.
