Make your own Charcuterie Board

The art of putting together an excellent cheese and charcuterie board is all about variety and balance. I like to begin with an array of cheeses that show off different styles and flavor compositions. For example, a hard cheese such as Singing Brook shows off deep complexity and firm texture. Little Ewe, on the other hand, is much more smooth with a clean finish. To balance these cheeses, I love to accompany them with sweet items from the Preserve Kitchen such as Strawberry Preserves and Tomato Jam. I am no different when it comes to charcuterie. I like to show contrast in different flavor profiles of dry cured salamis. I use a spicy Sopressatta, a floral Finocchiona, and a tangy Toscano. Also the addition of a fat marbled Coppa with a silky texture and smoky flavor rounds it out quite nicely. To accompany these, I love to use pickled products from the Preserve Kitchen such as Tomato Brined Pickled Okra and Chow Chow. To finish, I use crispy Cornmeal Lavosh as a platform to pile these items onto. And, garnish with fresh greenery of the season such as herbs, edible flowers, or pine needles.