The Many Ways to Create a Charcuterie Board
You may just think a charcuterie board has to be a certain way, but working with our head Chef Toby, and friends of the brand, Natalie Chassay and Sophia Living, they have discovered that there is no one way to charcuterie, it’s all about variety and preference. From the way the food is combined, right through to the way it’s presented on a platter, there really are no rules – we hope you take inspiration and try one of these for yourself next time you are hosting friends, be it twenty or two!
Chef Toby could be considered a purist in the sense he prefers to keep his Charcuterie board to different kinds of meat, breaking up that texture and flavour with crisp apple and pate. Using a warm and large wooden platter, this kind of dish is great for serving when you have a lot of people, paired perfectly with our 40th Vintage Sauvignon Blanc 2024.
“I try to look for a combination of leaner, smoked meat – something with more salt and texture, including something on the creamier fattier side that allows you to mix up different flavour profiles to match with our Cloudy Bay Wines.”
Chef Toby
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Natalie, however, takes a more home-made approach believing a little thought and imagination is key, baking her own parmesan baked crackers to serve alongside warm figs and camembert cheese flavours. Due to the creaminess of her platter ingredients, she loves pairing it with our Chardonnay, and we think the complementary notes are truly spectacular. Try making Natalie’s parmesan crackers for yourself.
Try making Natalie’s parmesan crackers for yourself.
Ingredients
- 100g butter
- 100g plain flour
- 50g mature cheddar cheese
- 50g parmesan
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
Method
- Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend to a thick paste.
- Remove and roll into a log on some greaseproof paper. The thinner the log, the smaller the crackers - totally up to you.
- Place in fridge for 20 - 30 mins.
- Slice the log into thin discs and bake on oven tray at 150 for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
“Having friends over for cheese and wine really is one of the warmest ways to bring people together.”
Natalie Chassay
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For smaller more intimate occasions, take a leaf out of Sophia’s book when it comes to entertaining and consider a hanging charcuterie board. Who says the food must be lying down flat? Look for fresh ingredients to combine, mixing lots of colours and flavours – hanging ingredients this way is fun and a great way to mix up the table setting. For a daytime affair, we recommend pairing with our Pelorus, just to add a little more sparkle to a special moment.
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Don’t forget to tag us @cloudybay when make your charcuterie board at home and enjoy a glass of Cloudy Bay!