How to make a Charcuterie Platter

A charcuterie platter is a beautiful way to present a delicious assortment of meats, cheese and olives. 

Last weekend, I hosted out of town family members when we celebrated my little brother’s wedding. After the festivities, guests came over to my house where we hung out and ate dinner. Since I knew it was going to be a busy day, I prepared chili the night before and set it in my crock pot the next morning. We had so much fun spending time eating, laughing, reminiscing old family memories and eating some more. This charcuterie platter was perfect while the guests waited for dinner. 

I served a charcuterie platter as an appetizer. Charcuterie (shahr-cute-uh-ree) is a French word for any smoked or dry-cured or cooked meat. I created a charcuterie plate with some salami, different cheeses, crackers, olives, nuts, hummus and grapes. 

Visibly, it makes for a beautiful presentation and you can add so many different foods on the platter. I just used my wooden board as the platter and started placing the salami and cheese first. Place any wet dishes into smaller bowls and add them to the platter. I bought some speciality hummus like Thai Coconut hummus and our favorite Castelvetrano Olives. Spread crackers and grapes into the empty spaces and voila, you have a beautiful charcuterie platter! 

Be creative and add different fruits like dry apricots or sliced figs. You can also do a variety of nuts, meats and cheeses. It’s easy and a great way to serve an appetizer for your guests before their meal. 

No matter how simple or complicated your food, I love how it allows us to intentionally sit together around the table and share our lives with each other. Try it for your next gathering and share a photo on my FB page. I would love to see it. Have a wonderful weekend!

Yuni