Taste the Flavor at Better Together Charcuterie Boards

At Better Together Charcuterie Boards, we believe that food is more than just fuel for the body - it's an experience that should be savored and enjoyed. That's why we take great care in crafting each and every charcuterie board on our menu, but we thought why not share some of our tips with the people who love & support us?!  From the freshest produce to the finest cuts of cheeses, we use only the highest quality ingredients to create food that takes your taste buds on a whole journey. 

Please enjoy our tips for when you're at home masterminding the perfect creation for your special occasion or event and remember two things: #1:  the 3,3,3,3 rule! Three cheeses, three meats, three starch options, and three accompaniment options like fruits, nuts, and veggies.  #2: Experiment with different shapes and flavors to create a beautiful aesthetic and an heighten experience for your palette. 

TIP 1: I always tell people before you go to the store to start prepping your board, go through your cabinets first. Most folks already have a few things to get them started. These things include: nuts, jams, honey, pickles or olives, and crackers. 

TIP 2: Once you get to the store, remember - there are 5 main components to a board. 

-Cheeses: For an at home board when we are having people over, I use three cheeses. A hard cheese, a semi hard cheese, and a soft cheese. The three go-to cheeses I use are an aged cheddar, menchego, and my signature everything bagel seasoning goat cheese (super easy to make - go check my reel out on Instagram). 

-Meats: If I am doing three cheeses, I go with three meats. If I do more cheeses because it's a larger board, I add a meat for every two cheeses I add to the board. That's just me. Feel free to do you! When I am doing three cheeses, I use pepperoni, prosciutto and some type of salami (my favorite has hints or garlic). 

-Fruits/Veggies: I like a good balance, so I use both. Some will argue veggies aren't needed, but I think it helps balance the board and I love a crunchy fresh vegetable. You can always find strawberries & grapes on a board because they pair so well with different cheeses and wines. Also- berries, I load my boards with raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries (I also add them to my wine too). For me, I need pickles, but some prefer olives - to each there own and in the summer months, watermelon and cantaloupe are great additions. Dried fruits make a great addition to a charcuterie board too and are a good way to add texture, color and something sweet to almost any board. I use dried figs and pineapple a lot. Sometimes I throw some mango roses on a board if I am missing are certain component on my board. Make sure when adding a certain dried fruit, you pick dried fruits the complement the flavors on your board! That is important! Carrots and cucumbers are my go-to veggies because again like I said above, I love the texture of a fresh crunch, but sometimes you'll find 

snap peas and cute little tricolor tomatoes on there. 

-Starches: Artisan crackers, fresh baked breads, pita, and crostini's. Pick your poison, but make sure you have at least three. 

-Honey, Mustard, Dips, Jams & Jellies: I love spicy things so I use Mike's Hot Honey but if I know someone is coming to my house who doesn't prefer spicy things, I add a local honey to my board (Parson's Produce has a great selection year around). Mustard is not for everyone, but I happen to be obsessed with it. I use chardonnay dijon mustard. For your veggies, I add hummus or ranch dip and my favorite jelly is red pepper jelly. If you are looking for a great jam to add to your board, go with onion jam. I know what you are thinking... onion jam? really? YES! REALLY!  Onion jam, with its savory and slightly sweet flavor, adds depth and complexity to a charcuterie board. It pairs exceptionally well with prosciutto and adds a touch of caramelized richness to the overall combination. 

TIP 3: You can use whatever size/shape you want when starting to prepare your board! It’s your board so seriously anything goes. In addition to the board you choose, you will need a few small dishes and cheese utensils. 

TIP 4: Add your small dishes to your board to add structure. Then, add your cheeses and meats. Next, add for fruits and vegetables. You'll start to notice your board is filling up but there are some gaps, these gaps are where you add your nuts. I didn't mention this earlier, but I wanted to make sure I did here- I also like to add chocolate to my board at this time. Fun fact time: cheese and chocolate go good together because they release "feel good" chemicals in the brain, so in addition to getting a pleasurable flavor combination, you're also getting a boost of dopamine and serotonin. Next, add your starches. Squeeze them in the remaining gaps on & around the outsides of your board. Lastly, if you're feeling fancy, garnish the charcuterie board with some rosemary or thyme sprigs. 

TIP 5:  If you finish your board way ahead of time, place it in the fridge until 30 minutes before guests arrive for peak texture and flavor. Yes, you can serve it right out of the fridge, but the flavors are more pronounced in a room temperature cheese. 

CHEESE + CHEERS!