• 

Everyone who knows me knows I love to host intimate dinner parties at my home with a close group of friends. I like to call myself a Soiree Specialist. I don’t know, I think it’s something about the older I get, I just like to be home. I no longer have the desire to go to night clubs. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy the occasional happy hour after work or a Sunday morning brunch. However, at the top of my list is a well lit soiree with music, food, and wine with friends. Whether Summer, Spring, or Fall, dinner and drinks with friends in the comfort of my home is where its at!

With that being said, I pride myself on being the ultimate hostess. I like for my guest to feel like they were thought of when I’m planning my menu, picking music, and selecting decor. I’ll admit, sometimes that can be a-lot ! Especially when you’re dealing with people’s personalities and dietary restrictions. YES, you should care about your guest’s dietary restrictions! But thats for another post. This is why I think a Charcuterie Platter is just perfect for an intimate get together. Whether it is two people or ten people this platter works!

Some of you may be like “What the heck is a Charcuterie Platter?”. Have you seen those fancy meat and cheese platters on wood boards that look like this?

Well my friends, these are Charcuterie Platters! What I love about this delicatessen is you can switch it up based on your preferences and your guest dietary restrictions. Got a vegetarian coming to the party? There’s a platter for that. Got a vegan coming to dinner? There’s a platter for that too! The sky is the limit honey! AND I should also mention they are super sexy in my opinion. Worried about how to pull it all together? Don’t! This is super easy to do. I’ve created a list of must have’s below to help you out.

1. Cheese- First up on the list is cheese. In my opinion it is the most important part of the platter. Because what is life without cheese?! You typically want to have five types of cheese depending on how many people you are serving. Those five types would be something Funky like blue cheese, something Aged like Gouda or Cheddar, something soft like Burrata, something hard like Parmigiano Reggiano, and lastly something fresh like Ricotta or Mozzarella. Quick Tip: Some of the best cheeses are found at farmers market or artisan markets. 
2. Meats– Next up, Meats! Just like the Cheese, variety is key here. Choose an assortment of mild, medium and bold flavors. Prosciutto, Salami, and Pepperoni are all great choices. Don’t eat meat? Cool! Go with a meat alternative like A Very British Banger. You can also go with hummus as well!
3. Fruit and Veggies- Another staple to this delicacy is some fresh fruit and/or veggies. You can never go wrong with grapes, strawberries, and apples. Likewise, olives, tomatoes, and bell peppers are great too. *Tip: Head to your local farmers market for some of the best selections.
4. Spreads– Next up are Spreads. Spreads like honey, preserves, and jams are a must. Did I tell you guys I just recently discovered Fig Spread? My life will never be the same! Also, don’t sleep on some good ole hummus being thrown into the mix!
5. Carbs– Yep, I said it Carbs. Also known as the vehicle for this platter. You gotta have something to put all this stuff on. An assortment of crackers and breads should be used. Some examples would be sliced baguettes or some La Panzanella mini croccantini.  If you are low-carb this is item you can omit, or go with something like pork rinds
6. Dried Fruits, Nuts, and Pickles- This category is self explanatory. 3 words: Texture, Texture, Texture. Chewy leathery dried fruits like apricots, crunchy nuts like almonds, and crisp pickles compliments the ambiance of the platter.
7. Display Board– Last but most certainly not least is the display board. We gotta put all the accouterments on something right? Now this is where you bring in the ambiance. This truly sets the tone for your evening with friends. I love this one from West Elm and this one from West Elm as well. Or if you want to go for a more wood look, I like this one found on Amazon. *Tip: Head to your local Ross Dress for Less or Homegoods to find one for a more budget friendly price. Or use brown wrapping paper similar to what I used in the below pic. It’s cheaper and provides for easy clean up.

And there you have it! Your Charcuterie Platter is all put together. Remember don’t make this difficult. Try to keep things as simple as possible. Serve the cheese room temperature and preferably pre-sliced. This allows for your guest to have easy access to it. If you don’t have time to pre-slice the cheese, place the cheeses that are the hardest to slice on the edge of the platter, that way you and your guests aren’t stumbling around messing up all the ambiance you just created!

Arrange all the other accoutrements around the cheeses. When necessary, break out multiple boards/platters to pull off your vision. One giant board is just a sexy as several little boards. One last tip I am going to leave you with is to just have fun with it! Half the fun for me is building it with my guest in mind. So don’t forget to be creative, and most certainly try some of that Fig Spread before you serve your guest!