The holiday season is among us, and with it comes plenty of entertaining with coworkers, friends, and family. Whether you’re planning an elegant work party, a casual cookie swap with friends, or a formal Thanksgiving, it’s always important to have something to munch on while you wait for the main course.
Sarah Juenemann of Grazing KC builds beautiful charcuterie boards, or graze boards, for any type of gathering and loves to tailor them to the season. Here, she gives us a starter guide on how to build a basic board. If you’re a charcuterie connoisseur, you may also want to check out one of her workshops for more in-depth tutorials— she frequently hosts public and private classes and even has a video workshop available on her website.
Shopping List:
3-4 fine cheeses (a variety of soft and hard)
1-2 cured meats (like salami and prosciutto)
2-3 seasonal fresh fruits
1 dried fruit
Nuts
Olives
1 jam, honey or mustard
1-2 types of crackers
Fresh herbs for garnish
1. Cheese: Build the foundation of your board with cheese. Add your softest cheese as a full block and pre-cut your hard cheeses by crumbling or slicing.
2. Charcuterie: Fold salami into quarters and lay the salami throughout the board, building around the cheese.
3. Color: Add pops of color such as fruit and olives throughout the board.
4. Crunch: In the remaining gaps on your board add crunch such as nuts and crackers.
5. Garnish your board with fresh herbs and enjoy grazing!
Food styling: Sarah Juenemann of Grazing KC
Tablescape: LeAnn Parker of Silvertooth Home
Venue: Amigoni Urban Winery
