Any host worth their salt will tell you that a good charcuterie board is so much more than a pile of meat and cheese: It’s a gathering place for peckish pre-dinner grazers; a stalwart source of calories for any Italian aperitivo hour. When thoughtfully assembled, it becomes a varied and colorful centerpiece that takes way less time to throw together than your average plate of canapés. As such, crafting an Italian-style charcuterie board is all about creating moments of harmony and contrast. Melt-in-your-mouth mortadella cascades into crumbly crackers; slick and fatty salumi sings alongside bright and bracing pickles and fruits; sharp, tongue-tingling cheeses are tempered by sweet jams and honeys. Here are four creative tips for assembling an eye-catching charcuterie board that’s as flavorful as it is beautiful.
1. Consider Shapes
It was reportedly the ancient Roman gourmand Apicius who first said that we “eat with our eyes.” While salumi as we know it likely didn’t exist then, he may as well have been referring to an artfully constructed charcuterie board, resplendent with piles of colorful fruits and nuts, meandering rivers of thinly sliced meats, and deftly arranged heaps of crumbly cheeses. When you begin constructing your charcuterie board, first consider the shape of the board, and how you might best fill the space. Using a mix of complementary and contrasting shapes, you can begin to create a dynamic display. Consider round ingredients—cheeses like miniature brie, fruits like dried apricots and grapes, ring-shaped Italian taralli crackers, and slices
