Festive Charcuterie Board

Name: Festive Charcuterie Board
Yield: 45 g to 250 g per person, depending on when it's served
Ingredients: 3 to 5 varieties of Canadian cheese; featuring the Blue Cow Logo; Cured meats (choose a variety: salty; spicy; sweet); Dried fruits (such as apricots; figs; and cranberries); candied fruits; sliced apples and pears; grapes; nuts; olives; A selection of breads; such as baguettes; breadsticks; pita; nut breads or pumpernickel; A variety of spreads; such as creamy dips; tapenades; pâtés; whole grain mustard; or seasonal jams/chutneys; A selection of crackers; unsalted preferably; or croutons

Hors D'oeuvres & Appetizers

O charcuterie, O charcuterie! Here's how to make a charming charcuterie board for the holidays, featuring the best Canadian cheeses.

Prep: 15 to 30 min

Yields 45 g to 250 g per person, depending on when it's served

Ingredients

3 to 5 varieties of Canadian cheese, featuring the Blue Cow Logo
Cured meats (choose a variety: salty, spicy, sweet)
Dried fruits (such as apricots, figs, and cranberries), candied fruits, sliced apples and pears, grapes, nuts, olives
A selection of breads, such as baguettes, breadsticks, pita, nut breads or pumpernickel
A variety of spreads, such as creamy dips, tapenades, pâtés, whole grain mustard, or seasonal jams/chutneys
A selection of crackers, unsalted preferably, or croutons

READY FOR REWARDS?

Preparation

Making a fabulously festive charcuterie board requires just a little bit of work and a lot of imagination. It’s lots of fun to prepare, but remember - the cheese is always the star.

Anticipate using 3 to 5 varieties of Canadian cheese from among hard cheeses, soft cheeses, washed rind, semi firm curd cheeses or veined cheeses (blue cheeses). Start with milder cheeses and make your way to stronger cheeses, such as blue cheeses. Remember to look for the Blue Cow Logo to make sure they are made from 100% Canadian milk, made to some of the world’s most stringent standards.

Include 2-4 cured meats from your deli counter and mix it up with spicy, salty, sweet flavours.

Add dried fruits such as apricots and cranberries, candied fruit, apples, grapes and other accompaniments like nuts and olives to bring in other flavour profiles to the charcuterie board.

Try different seasonal fruit spreads like fig jams or chutneys, as well as savoury spreads like creamy dips, tapenades, mustards, and pâtés.

Add a variety of breads, such as baguettes, nut breads, pita, pumpernickel, etc.

When using crackers or croutons, use the unsalted variety to highlight the taste of the cheese.

For a tasting that’s only cheese, crackers and fruit, anticipate 250 g of cheese per person. When being served as an appetizer, plan 90 to 100 g per person. If the cheese is served after dinner, allow for 45 to 60 g per person.

You can also make your charcuterie board extra festive with decorative mini-lights, mini-ornaments, or holly/ivy. Make sure to take the cheeses out of the refrigerator at least 45 minutes before serving to allow it to come to room temperature. Happy holidays!