Cheese, wine and meats are some of my favourite things! So naturally, when Two Oceans sent me a few bottles of wine, I knew I had to enjoy them with my family alongside a homemade charcuterie board. (Whoever said charcuterie boards couldn’t be enjoyed at home, anyways?)
Charcuterie boards are a wonderful thing. Being gluten free, I often can’t always eat them when dining out so I resort to making my own. (I won’t lie, I sometimes eat them all by myself too. If you cut me I’ll bleed brie.) They seriously so easy to make at home and are great for whenever you are entertaining.
I find the key to a good charcuterie board is variety. It’s generally a good idea to have a wide range of flavours and textures on your board.
First things first, let’s talk cheese. I personally think the more cheese the better.
You can use whatever kinds of cheese you like, but my personal favourites are:
- Havarti
- Brie
- Boursin garlic and herbed
- Goat cheese
- Gouda
Moving on to the meats, Mastro has a really great value pack of assorted charcuterie meats that are gluten-free. What I love about Mastro meats is that they are also lactose free and are often raised without any antibiotics. As far as rations go, it’s generally recommended that you have about 2 to 3 ounces of meat per person.
Some standard meats to include are:
- Salami
- Coppa
- Prosciutto
- Bresaola
- Pâté
Garnishes are something that are often overlooked, but they are something that is so important for a good charcuterie board. Seriously, they can make or break it! For garnishes, it’s a good idea to have a good mix of sweet, salty solid and fluid toppings.
Some of my favourite charcuterie garnishes are:
- Honey
- Hot sauce
- Jams or mustards
- Olives
- Sundried tomatoes
- Pickles
- Oils
- Grapes
- Apples
- Peppers
- Nuts
- Artichokes
- Pretzels (Glutino is a great gluten-free brand!)
I’ve seen charcuterie boards done without crackers, but I personally think that they are incomplete without them. They add a good mix of texture to the platter. You would think that this would be a problem being gluten-free, but there are lots of options available!
My favourite gluten-free crackers are:
- Mary’s Gone Crackers – Herbed
- Glutino – Rosemary and Olive
- Breton Gluten Free – White Bean with Salt & Pepper
- Salmas – Oven Baked Corn Crackers
- Glutino – Baked Parmesan and Garlic Bagel Chips
And last but not least, what would any charcuterie board be without a side of wine?
Two Oceans was kind enough to send me some wine to help me complete my charcuterie board. I chose two wines, for a red I picked a shiraz and for white I picked the sauvignon blanc.
The shiraz is a deep, vibrant red colour and has a fruity scent of berries, with a hint of spice. I found it to be the perfect blend of sweet and spiced, and could taste hints of cherry. It had a medium body, and I could see this wine paring amazingly well with a juicy steak. We all know I love sangria, and I could see it working well for that too! I think this particular wine might be my new favourite red.
The sauvignon blanc has such a refreshing and crisp colour. I felt like I could almost taste it just by looking at it! I found it to be incredibly refreshing and sweet with hints of citrus and apple. It’s very easy to drink and I could see it being paired with virtually anything.
Both of these wines worked perfectly with my charcuterie board!
Some general tips and tricks for when creating your own charcuterie board are:
- Add some fresh herbs like parsley to your tray to help add some visual variety and texture
- Don’t let the board sit out for more than two hours – it’s better to make several smaller platters if you are entertaining for longer periods of time so that everything stays fresh.
- Serve it on a wooden or granite board to create a visually stunning platter
- Always serve it with wine ;)
Happy eating!
PS – If you like those wine glasses, stay tuned for a DIY!
While I received complimentary product for free from Two Oceans Winery, all of the opinions expressed in this post are of my own.
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