How to build an epic charcuterie board for your next virtual happy hour

Who doesn’t love surprising and impressing their significant other with something that is not only a feast for your barriguita but also a feast for the eyes (because beauty is always a great way to open up our appetites). This is where the incredibly appetizing charcuterie board comes in. It is the perfect blend of delicious cured meats, cheeses, fruits and a myriad of other colorful ingredients. This vibrant board has been around for hundreds of years (it is said that the word can be traced back to 15th Century France). The word charcuterie derives from the pairing of the French words for la chair (or flesh) and cuit (or cooked).

There is no wrong way to construct your culinary work of art, making it an easy recipe for anyone from beginner at-home cooks to expert-level culinary masters to make. You can mix it up with your go-to cheeses like Manchego, Gruyere, or Camembert; add a variety of cured hams like Saucisson, Spanish chorizo or Jamón ibérico; incorporate notes of freshness like grapes, strawberries and other fruits; then finish it off with a sweet bite of chocolate that’ll create the perfect end to an already amazing food journey. Check out HOLA! USA’s recipe below!

© Hola

 Charcuterie Board Recipe from HOLA! USA 

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 small wheel of Brie cheese
• 1 block of Manchego cheese
• 1 block of Cheddar cheese
• 1 package of sliced Salami
• 1 package of Prosciutto
• 1 package of sliced Capicola (aka capocollo or coppa)
• 2 bags of Grapes (black & green)
• 1 package of Strawberries
• 1 punnet (small box) of Blackberries
• 1 package of Assorted Crackers
• 2 bars of Chocolate

Preparations:

1. Artfully arrange and slightly cut your soft and hard cheeses in order to make it easier for your guests to grab.
2. Accent your board with different textures and colors such as a beautiful deep purple from grapes or a bright red from strawberries
3. Once the main components of the board have been placed (meats, cheese, fruits), fill in the empty space with a variety of crackers, bread or breadsticks. Use your creative freedom to line the crackers up in an s-curve or line them up in small rows
4. Then place your variety of cured meats both sliced (salami, sopressata) and rolled up (prosciutto).
5. You want your board to look bountiful, so be sure to fill in any bare space with pieces of chocolate, dried fruits, or nuts.