I gathered with a small group of girls to celebrate a big birthday for one of my best girlfriends. How am I old enough to have friendships that have existed for 30 years?! We would be together all afternoon before dinner, so I wanted to make something for us to have to snack on. I went to order a board and Sarah of Grazing KC wasn’t available this weekend. Fortunately, I took one of her charcuterie workshops and was feeling mildly confident that I could throw a board together! Here are the simple steps that Sarah taught me.
Make your grocery list. Think about different textures, colors and milk sources for your cheeses. Pick fruits of varying colors as well. I purchased 2 kinds of cured meat (salami & prosciutto), 3 cheeses (Brie, Creamy Toscano soaked in Syrah, & Carmelized Onion Cheddar), fruit, a spread (hot & sweet pepper jelly), nuts, and dried fruit (cranberries) all from Trader Joe’s. Grab some crackers or a baguette to slice as well. Other possible items: veggies, pickles, jams, mustards, olives, chocolate, and fresh herb sprigs.
Find the right size board or platter. Arrange your cheeses and condiment containers. Jars or ramekins work well!
Slice and or crumble your cheese. Then arrange the meats (charcuterie), spaced out throughout your board. Try folding them in different ways to add interest.
Add your fresh and dried fruits, nuts and sweets. I left a space for the crackers my friend grabbed at Costco. Fill your ramekins/jars. As I was making my board, I remembered I had some cute condiment cups I’d purchased long ago at HomeGoods. I replaced the jars with these, then filled them with the nuts and pepper jelly.
When I arrived at my friend’s house, I added the crackers. And that’s it! Gather and graze with your favorite people!
If you’re a KC local, I highly recommend a girls’ night at a Grazing KC workshop when they’re back up and running. I LOVE learning new things, and the cocktails are an added bonus!
Leave a Reply