Building a Themed Charcuterie Board

Designing a charcuterie board is like channeling your inner sommelier. 

I mean, what’s so different about wine tasting to making great food pairings, right?! 

There’s a lot that can go into creating a good charcuterie board, but just like tasting wine (if you’re like me, and NOT an actual sommelier) is that you choose what you like! Many charcuterie and wine experts will advise the perfect aged cheese with the perfect grape, or a specific region where the wine is made…

I’m here to tell you - pair what you think you’ll like together! You can choose more budget-friendly ingredients if that’s what you have, or if that’s what will work for you. Or you can prioritize fruits and vegetables over meat and cheese. For this charcuterie board, that’s what I chose to do. 

I prioritized a theme behind this charcuterie board, which helped me decide exactly what I wanted to have on my board.

So, what’s the theme?!

St. Patrick’s Day was coming up, and I knew I wanted to make a charcuterie board. And we love a themed charcuterie board over here!

In prep, I made sure to plan the effect I wanted carefully. I chose to focus the board specifically on the holiday with visual references like a rainbow ‘leading’ to a pot of gold (which is this super flavorful Roasted Broccoli Hummus). 

And, I wanted to prioritize the color green, because, well, green is the signature color for this holiday! So, I chose fruits and vegetables that would look and taste good together, narrowing in on the green color. Luckily, there are many green fruits and veggies!

I also created some rose cucumbers to add some extra fun and dimension! Doing this was super easy. You just thinly slice the cucumber using a mandoline, then lay each slice in a straight line, overlapping the last. Then, you roll it up!

This board turned out SO good, it was the star of the show! I even added some gold coins around the setting of the board to add some extra flare, which was a fun touch.

Designing your own themed charcuterie board

If you want to design your own themed charcuterie board, there are some steps you will want to take. 

1. Research the details. If you don’t already know the holiday or event details or the person that this board is based around, you want to dig right into it. Find out what makes this occasion extra special and focus your features around it!

2. Choose your items. After researching, decide what will work well with the event. Are there any colors, visual representations, or allergies to think about? Focus on the theme, and make considerations, like regional-specific foods, or if your board should be vegetarian. 

3. Add other themed accessories for a final look. If you want to go ALL OUT on this board, don’t forget to add the final touches! Incorporate something fun to finish it all off, like some flowers, confetti, or whatever fits the vibe - like the gold coins I used for the St. Patrick’s Day board!

And there you have it – themed charcuterie boards, ideal for any event or holiday gathering! They offer a fun backdrop for sparking conversations while eating delicious snacks. 

Charcuterie Board

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Author: Julie Coffin

Ingredients

• Raspberries, rinsed
• Orange Bell Pepper, rinsed and chopped
• Yellow Bell Pepper, rinsed and chopped
• Snap Peas, rinsed
• Blueberries, rinsed
• Green Grapes, rinsed
• Cucumbers, rinsed and thinly sliced
• Green Bell Pepper, rinsed and chopped
• Pistachio Nuts
• Olives
• Baby Dill Pickles
• Herb Goat Cheese, sliced
• Roasted Broccoli Hummus

Instructions

Instructions

1. Lay everything out on a wooden charcuterie board, starting with the hummus and rainbow, then fill the rest in, leaving as little space as possible.
2. Keep chilling for up to six hours before serving.

Storage

1. Sliced fruit should be eaten within a day or two.
2. Sliced vegetables can be stored in the fridge for up to three days.
3. The goat cheese can be stored in a container in the fridge for up to five days.
4. The pickles and olives in their own bowl can easily go back in the fridge for a week.
5. Shelled pistachios, if in their own bowl can go back to their original bag. But if they touch the fruit or vegetables, they should be eaten within a day, and do not put them back in their original packaging.
6. Roasted Broccoli Hummus can be stored in a container in the fridge for up to four days.