How to Make the Perfect Charcuterie Board This Fall

Are charcuterie boards seasonal? I certainly don’t think so. But there is something to be said about enjoying a charcuterie spread made with goods from the fall’s harvest while catching up with friends, crisp glass of white in hand and wrapped in a cozy sweater.

Charcuterie boards can be deceptively simple, and it got me thinking… is there a method to this meat and cheese craft? I turned to an expert for insight—none other than BCLiving’s very own columnist, Nikki Bayley, who happens to also be the founder of local charcuterie board business, Boards of Vancouver. I asked for her secrets on what it takes to wow your guests.

What Makes the Perfect Charcuterie Board?

Charcuterie boards are customizable to taste and size. According to Bayley, a great charcuterie board contains both quality and a variety of products. “My guiding principle with my boards is chaotic abundance,” she says. “I want people to be almost overwhelmed with so many delicious choices. Think about taste, texture and appearance.” Don’t be afraid to get creative with presentation and product choices.

What Should Go on a Charcuterie Board?

No matter the size of the board, one rule of thumb stays the same: don’t be afraid to fill it up. Of course, the fundamentals include meats, cheeses and crackers. Beyond that, the choices are abundant. “My most basic boards will have about 18 to 20 different ingredients: three cheeses, three kinds of charcuterie, three kinds of fresh fruit, two kinds of dried fruit, pickles, olives, crackers, mustard, compote, nuts, sweet treats and chocolate,” says Bayley. Bigger boards, she notes, might have double the amount of items.

 

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“For me, there has to be a good variety of cheeses,” says Bayley, “from hard and nutty to creamy and decadent.” Some of her B.C. cheese recommendations include Upper Bench Winery and Creamery‘s Grey Baby and Little Qualicum Cheeseworks‘ Bleu Claire. For meats, get them sliced at the deli counter whenever possible. “I love fresh-sliced salami, it’s just so much better that way,” she adds. Another Canadian pick from Bayley for spreads: Zane Caplansky‘s spicy mustard.

How Should You Assemble a Charcuterie Board?

There’s no real wrong way to assemble a charcuterie board—but, there is a process to make it easier. Start by placing the items in bowls like mustards, jams, olives, etc., on the board. Working around the bowls, add the cheeses and fan the meats (bonus points for attempting the salami flower shape). Try to evenly distribute the meats and cheeses (ie., don’t put all the cheese on one side and the meat on the other). You can use the crackers or bread as a barrier, and fill in any gaps with the fruits and nuts.

“A great board should engage all more than your tastebuds,” says Bayley, “it should look and smell delicious too, so garnish with fresh herbs, edible flowers and so on.I love Sole Food Farms’s marigolds, they are beautiful.”

What Are Some Common Mistakes to Avoid?

Bayley’s biggest no-no: serving a charcuterie board straight from the fridge. “Cover your board with a clean tea towel and let it come to [room] temperature for 30 minutes before serving,” she says. “Trust me! It’s just better that way.” If you’re assembling a charcuterie board in advance, leave space to fill in the crackers and bread before serving so they don’t get stale.

To me, there’s no such thing as overcrowding a charcuterie board. But there is such thing as under-crowding. If you don’t have enough ingredients, adjust the size of the board to make it look more full. And lastly, don’t underestimate high quality crackers and bread. “I love Uprising Breads‘ foccacia, and the rosemary crackers from Bosa [Foods] are the best,” suggests Bayley.

How Can You Assemble a Board on a Budget?

As delicious as buying all these fresh meats, cheeses and fruit might be, it can add up. To save some dollars, Bayley recommends shopping at a deli counter. “Absolutely ask for several different meats by the slice, and around 75-100g each of a few different cheeses,” she says. 

“You can also check out the wrapped cheese baskets at places like Urban Fare or Save On, which have small ‘ends’ of cheese off the block for just a few dollars each,” she adds. “It’s a great way to try new things for less.”