Charcuterie 101.

Build Better Boards. Like This.

How to Make a Charcuterie Board

The best charcuterie board excites all the senses - here are the basics to get you creating your best board through craft meat choices and thoughtful pairings - and the guiding principles to keep you creating well beyond your first board.

1. meat

Set the tone. Start with salumi (cold cuts or cured meats, including Italian delicacies) as the centerpiece of your board, and build pairings around your hero).

Have fun with your meat choices! Try something familiar and mild, something spicy (or with a hint of pepper) and a salami you’ve never heard of before. In general, 2 ounces of meat per person should be enough!

2. cheese

Add a variety of complementary soft, creamy and/or hard cheeses to elevate the flavors of your meat.

• Hard Italian cheeses are great with all our salami selections.

• Fresh and earthy cheeses pair perfectly with our rustic style salami.

• Well aged Italian and Spanish cheeses highlight the spices in our pepper focused salami.

Accoutrements (3-5)

3. color + Crunch

A great charcuterie board creates an experience for ALL the senses – color for a visual showstopper and crunch texture for an exciting bite.

• Color (think fresh herbs, bright peppers, uniquely colored fruits).

• Crunch/texture (think crackers, nuts, bread).

4. Acid

Pairs well with spicy meats and will cut through any richness to cleanse your palate for the next bite.

EX: peppers, pickled vegetables, tomatoes, olives, cornichons

5. sweet

Sweet will complement creamy cheeses and mild salami and enhance the flavors on the board.

EX: fruit, chocolate, jams/jellies/marmalades, honey

Quick Charcuterie Tips

Quantity

The size of a board depends on your number of guests. We typically suggest 2-3 ounces of meat and 1-2 ounces of cheese per person.

Balance

Unite contrasting characteristics and textures to create composed, harmonious bites.

Character

Add personality to your board with visually interesting elements that introduce new flavors.

wine & beer pairings

Slicing & storing salame

Slicing salame

The thickness that you cut the salame has a direct effect on its flavor.

Slice all bulk salame thin enough to roll up easily, about 1/16”.

Slice smaller diameter salame sticks slightly thicker at 1/8” for a perfect bite.

Storing Salame

Sliced salame is best when consumed within 7-10 days of opening.

Once opened, it should be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated. When storing salame with fiore (mold), it’s best to refrigerate in its original paper or wax paper. Given the composition of salame, we do not recommend freezing any salame products.

What’s that white stuff on my salame?

Fiore

The white powdery coating, called Fiore, is a layer of mold that protects the salame from excess drying and enhances the salame’s flavor as the fermentation begins.

Don’t be afraid of mold! Salami with fiore just needs to be peeled before eating. The casing (if natural) will impart a deliciously unique flavor to the meat.

Much like brie cheese, the fiore is safe to eat and protects the salame once out in the open atmosphere. Italian salumieri refer to this mold as Fiore, or bloom.