Recipe: Charcuterie Board

Charcuterie Boards are a great pairing with any wine tasting! They are easy to make and the flavors compliment most varietals. Here are a few tips of things to include when putting a board together:

Meats

The word Charcuterie is French for "cold cooked meats." The meat is the main feature of the board. There are a variety you can choose from, but I would recommend selecting a couple from this list:

• Prosciutto Thinly sliced, dry-cured, Italian ham, served uncooked. It's salty and delicious!

• Spicy Salami To compliment the salt, add some spice! Choose a salami made from the freshest and leanest pork for best flavor

Cheeses There is nothing better than wine and cheese. I tend to focus on hard cheeses when making a Charcuterie board. These are few that I would pair with most wines

• Manchego This Spanish cheese is made from sheep milk, and has wonderful flavor with a smooth buttery texture.

• Pecorino/Romano In Spain, Pecorino; in Italian, Romano... this is another sheep cheese, although this one is firmer in texture but rich in flavor

• Smoked Gouda You can compliment a spicy or fruity wine with the the woody flavors of smoked gouda

Other There are lots of other fixings you can add to give your board some color and some sweetness. These are a few of my favorites

• Marcona Almonds Totally worth the craze! These almonds are sweeter than others, and compliment white and red wine beautifully

• Craisins For a little color and a sweet flavor that won't disrupt the wine, cranberry raisins are a great addition--and they taste yummy with a number of cheeses.

• Hot Honey Heat just a little bit of local honey in a dish. You can dip any of the items from the board in the honey for added flavor.

• Crostini You need a little bite of bread with your meats and cheeses. Take a crostini, add a slice of cheese, a piece of prosciutto, and a craisin and dollop of honey. Wash it all down with a sip of wine, and that is was Charcuterie boards are all about!

(Many of these ingredients can be bought just next door from us at Tony's!)

Let me know what other favorite flavors you like to include!