A SPOOKY CHARCUTERIE
If you aren’t familiar with the term Charcuterie, it is essentially a fancy way to describe a meat and cheese board. This fun and spooky twist on a classic elegant cheese board is an impressive appetiser with meat, crackers, fruit, spreads and much more! Any one can give this a try.
Its the small touches and little details that transform this classic charcuterie board into the perfect halloween themed cheese board. After you have grabbed all your meats, cheese, crackers and fruit grab some cute spiders, a few small white and orange pumpkins from Hatters Farm and a few sweetie eye balls.
You could really go the extra mile and buy a coffin miniature box and weave some fake spider webs around the edges to use as your cheese board base.
To get started you really need a big board, any shape will do. Arrange a few small bowls around the board and sprinkle pumpkin seeds around your cheeseboard to start a trail. You will want to use your largest fruit to centre the board. This is most likely to be a bunch or grapes. Add 2-3 smaller piles of fruit around the board as well. Cherries, apples, berries and dried fruit such as apricots or raisins.
Now Start to add your cheese. Scatter pieces of hard cheese like Cheddar, Manchego, Gruyere around the board and add some softer cheese like Brie, Chèvre, Roquefort, Gorgonzola etc. We made our Brie into a coffin shape and added a dollop of red raspberry jam on the top!
Now its time to layer your crackers and bread. Its always nice to add a variety of crackers. Whole wheat crackers and water crackers are typically my go-to. Try to from a curved line with your crackers and bread. This will help to create a flow that will carry your eyes around the board.
Now add your cured meats to fill in any large gaps that you have. I like to go for thinly sliced meats like prosciutto.
With your smaller bowls you can add spreads like fig jam, pumpkin hummus, herbed dip etc. Make sure the board is abundant with a variety of foods. If you have any spaces just fill these with olives, nuts, bell pepper strips, cherry tomatoes or slices of cucumber.
It’s a great way to get creative and produce a work of art on your own. It doesn’t have to cost the earth, and it will be a real show stopper for a halloween dinner party or event. You might also like to try and do a kids sweetie board.