One of my favorite things to create for any holiday or get together, is a good charcuterie board! Whether you’re having a few girls over for a Scandavol reunion watch party and need a good meat and cheese board to pair with that fancy rose, or are looking for a quick and easy go-to snack board everyone will love at your next family event, charcuterie boards are always a win!

How to create the perfect charcuterie board:

Rule #1: Ensure there’s balance
One of the biggest mistakes I see people make when it comes to creating a charcuterie board, is they try making every ingredient super fancy and fail to keep in mind the different flavors. If all the cheese on your board is super rich, spicy, or strong in flavor, you’re going to be left with a lot of leftovers. Not everyone has an adventurous pallet. Even those who do appreciate a good kick to their tongue need a break between intense flavors. If selecting a spicy Jalapeno mozzarella, and garlic parmesan goat cheese, make your third selection be a smoked gouda, a nice brie, or keep it real with a good old fashion sharp cheddar. Look at the “plain” flavors as a pallet cleanser; a hard reset preparing your mouth for its next adventure!

My cheese selection usually consists of Brie, Smoked Gouda, garlic or herb Goat Cheese, a spicy option (Jalapeno Cheddar, some kind of spicy Jack, buffalo flavor, etc.), something sweet like a fruity cheese (blueberry, mango, raspberry), and a basic sharp Cheddar. Depending how many people i’m creating this for will determine how many cheese options I choose. For 3-6 people I’ll usually go with 3-4 options (Brie, Smoked Gouda, and garlic /herb goat cheese or plain goat cheese).

This rule applies to everything - meats, crackers, nuts, deserts, etc. Be sure to include a range of salty and sweet, spicy and mild, soft cheese with hard, rich in flavor with basic “play it safe” options.

You can also follow this rule when deciding what dipping options to include: honey, spicy mustard, jams, olive tapenade, garlic aioli, etc.

Rule #2: Be mindful of color
When deciding to create a charcuterie board, keep in mind the event you’re creating it for. Is this a fun fancy girls night that would require lots of pinks and reds? Think, strawberries, raspberries, grapes, red meats, mini pink frosted cookies, pink and white chocolate dipped pretzels…

With 4th of July right around the corner, let’s dive in to some fun patriotic options to include.

First, let’s think about color and some options for each:

Reds: Meats (pepperoni, salami, prosciutto, chorizo), strawberries, raspberries, red candy, red frosted cookies or dipped pretzels, red fruit dip, cheeses that are pink due to flavors (strawberry, raspberry, or some kind of roasted red pepper), various kinds of red peppers, cherry tomatoes, red corn chips, roasted red pepper crackers.

Whites: White cheese, crackers, mini sandwiches, white dragonfruit, fresh coconut, bananas, cauliflower, cashews / nuts, chickpeas, roasted garlic, tofu, yogurt covered raisins, white chocolate chips, white chocolate dipped pretzels, mini white frosted cookies, white corn chips.

Blues: Blueberries, blackberries, blueberry cheese (goat cheese, cheddar, etc.), blue cheese, blueberry or blackberry jam, blue corn chips, white chocolate dipped pretzels with blue sprinkles, grapes, plums, blue macaron cookies.

Next, what flavor / vibe are you going for? Is this an appetizer before a main course? Is this a snack board for a function that will have lots of finger foods and an eat as you go vibe? For my board (pictured above), I knew we had a lot of deliciousness coming off the grill, so I went with an appetizer vibe with salty options.

Here’s what I included:
. Mini cucumber sandwiches (recipe below)
. Blue corn chips
. Large blackberries
. Blueberries
. Blueberry goat cheese
. Smoked Gouda
. Brie
. Spicy Bacon Jalapeno Cheddar
. White cheddar
. Pepperoni
. Black peppered salami
. Prosciutto wrapped mozzarella

Rule #3: Jazz it up with tiny details!
”It’s such a small detail, no one will notice!” - This statement makes me cringe. I hear it and my heart legit stops and falls to my gut. The small details are what MAKE people stop and admire your work. I remember when I was planning our wedding, I put so much time and care into every tiny detail. My family thought I was crazy until it was the day of and they saw everything come together. Every handwritten sign, every homemade wedding favor that was carefully placed on every plate setting, the blankets that were handed out in case people got cold, the flip flops arranged by size for the ladies sick of their heels… it all mattered! People are still talking about the details and how beautiful everything looked five years later. People won’t notice if something is missing… but they do notice when it’s there. And they talk about. The details are what stand out and are what people remember.

One of my favorite go-to details I love including on my snack boards, are meat flowers made from using either a champagne or wine glass. I didn’t include them on my 4th of July board because I ran out of room. However, they’re super easy to make and add a little extra “wow” factor to the overall presentation of your board. I’ll include a meat flower tutorial in another post.

To keep my board as patriotic as possible, I decided to use tiny star cookie cutters to create star shaped cheese and tea sandwiches. The kids got a kick out of the stars and the sandwiches were gone almost immediately!

Once complete, I finished my board off with a couple tiny American flags.

Rule #4: Don’t leave any spaces!
When it comes to charcuterie boards, more is more! There’s nothing more inviting than a platter FILLED with a ton of goodies! Likewise, there’s nothing sadder than a plate with a few crackers and some slices of cheese (yikes!).

When deciding how to lay everything out, placement is key! Be mindful of balance and color. Be sure to evenly space out your color options, and fill tiny holes with your wow factor details, fruit, or more meat/cheese. If you’re having a hard time filling the platter, switch to a smaller plate! The key is to finish with a plate/ platter / board that’s overfilling with food.

As promised…

Mini cucumber sandwich recipe:

What you’ll need:
. 1 loaf of white soft sandwich bread of your choice
. 1 large cucumber
. 8oz softened cream cheese
. 1/4 cup mayonnaise
. 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
. 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
. 1 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice (start with 1 and see how you like it)
. 1/4 tablespoon fine grain sea salt (or to taste)
. Cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions:
Peel the cucumber and dice into tiny chunks / cubes. Place chopped cucumbers on a paper towel and sprinkle with salt. Let rest for 15-30 minutes to remove moisture. Pat dry with clean paper towels.

• In a medium bowl, using a handheld mixer or standing mixer, blend together the softened cream cheese, mayo, dill, chives, lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt.

• Spread one side of each slice of bread with the herbed cream cheese mixture.

• Layer cucumber dices over half of the bread slices. Season with fresh cracked black pepper, to taste. Top with remaining bread slices, cream cheese mixture down. (At this point, you'll have 8 full sandwiches.)

• Using a cookie cutter of your choice, push your shape through the bread down to the bottom creating a perfectly crust free tea sandwich.

• Garnish with fresh dill (optional)

• Serve right away and enjoy!

Whether you’re hosting this years 4th of July party, or attending as a guest and don’t want to show up empty handed, you can’t go wrong with a charcuterie board! They’re quick, easy and fun to put together - a combo every ‘geriatric mama’ loves!