Molly said anyone can create beautiful and
delicious charcuterie boards.
“I would get items from several places,” she
says. “Local grocery stores and farmers markets
are always a wonderful place to start. I also got
stuff from Sam’s Club, Publix and Trader Joes.
Aldi was also a good resource.
She purchased her ingredients on Wednesdays
and prepped for Thursday pickups but says
boards and boxes can be prepared on short
notice as well.
“Buy in bulk if you know you’ll use a lot of
a certain thing like a salami or hard cheeses,”
she said. “Those are always popular. I like odd
numbers so I’d put at least three different types
of cheeses, like a soft cheese and a cheddar,
everyone likes a cheddar, and I’d include
maybe a smoked gouda or a cheese that had
an herb in it.”
And I always used gloves and made sure
everything was clean and sanitized.
For a simple or quick charcuterie Molly
suggests three cheeses, a couple types of
salami and some nuts. Even pistachios or
pecans to make it fun, she says. And then
add a variety of crackers or pita chips. And
grab some hummus as well.
With a little more time and planning, or for a
more elevated board, she says some grocery
stores have a beautiful aged gouda or a
Parmegiano-Reggiano or even a beautiful
Bleu cheese. Consider a prosciutto or even
prosciutto wrapped around cantaloupe.
And add some dried fruit.
For an even more elevated board, she says
you might want to visit a local bakery to get
macaroons or ginger snaps. And beautiful
breads add an extra special touch. Toasted
baguettes work well if you have the time,
Molly suggests. Sprinkle with olive oil and toast
in the oven.
“Think color and size and balance,” she
says. “You want it to be appealing to all the
senses and you want it to look good before
people even begin enjoying the flavors. But
don’t be scared. There are no rules. Have fun
with it. In a pinch, just what you have in your
refrigerator.”
Making your own