A Beginner’s Guide to the Art of the Charcuterie
As the leaves begin to turn and the air takes on a crispness, there’s no better centrepiece than a well-stocked charcuterie board. Done well, charcuterie boards can bring both old and new friends together over a spread of warmth and welcome.
But not all charcuterie boards are created equal. There’s an art to charcuterie—ensuring you’re selecting the finest European ingredients and pairing them with flavours that elevate and excite your senses. Swirls of Prosciutto di Parma PDO, rustic roughhewn chips of elegant Grana Padano PDO cheese, with their supporting actors—handmade jams, salty almonds, and fresh berries—create an abundance of tastes, textures and combinations to tempt and tease the palate.
Here are some tips and tricks to level up your charcuterie game.
Elevate your ingredients
Start by selecting ingredients that deserve to be put on a pedestal. For cheese, introduce your guests to Grana Padano PDO. Artfully crafted in the Po River Valley in Norther Italy from raw, semi-skimmed cow milk from the production area, Grana Padano PDO cheese is carefully aged from 9 to over 24 months. It is lactose-free due to the long ageing and production method, and at 9 months, each wheel must pass strict quality.
For meats, the 100 per cent natural Prosciutto di Parma PDO is the gold standard. With a tightly regulated production cycle, its quality is consistently superior. It undergoes an all-natural ageing process for a minimum of 400 days resulting in a taste that can range from mild and nutty to mature and full-flavoured.
Both Grana Padano PDO cheese and Prosciutto di Parma PDO are European Union-certified Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) products, which guarantees their authenticity, ensuring you are getting the real flavours from this region of Europe.
Find the perfect pairings
Once you have your star ingredients, it's time to build out your board with complementary flavours and textures: sweet, salty, crunchy and fresh.
Wildflower honey plays well off the nuttiness of Grana Padano PDO cheese, as does a citrus or berry jam. For texture and crunch, lean into shelled nuts like Marcona almonds or candied walnuts. Grapes also pair well with the cheese, adding a burst of freshness and natural sweetness.
Drape slices of Prosciutto di Parma PDO over fresh figs or segments of melon, pear, kiwi or mango, or artfully wrap them around a crisp breadstick.
And don’t forget the vessels for your charcuterie. Fresh sourdough, baguette or focaccia are ideal, and gourmet crackers will also do in a pinch.
Add a touch of colour
This is your chance to get creative. Amp up the visuals of your board with swirls of colour. Add flowers from your garden or petals from your favourite florist or bright fruit such as grapes or strawberries to break up the browns, golds, and pinks of your charcuterie set up.
Complement everything with wine
Complement your cheese and meat with wines that amplify the flavours. Prosciutto di Parma PDO pairs well with European sparkling wines such as Cava or Champagne, and fruity white wines, including Albarino, Vermentino, Greco or Soave. Richer, fruit-forward white wines also will work well with Grana Padano, as do bright reds such as Lambrusco, Etna Rosso or Beaujolais.
The best rule: There are no rules
While these tips will help you build a decorative and delicious dream board, remember that there are no hard or fast rules to building a perfect charcuterie selection. Add whatever complimentary spreads or crackers you like and fill your board with ingredients that inspire you.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or of the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.