DIY Charcuterie Board: Channel Your Inner Cheesemonger

The goal is to have a variety of tastes and textures on the plate. Use small plates and/or bowls for some items, if desired, or place all charcuterie items directly onto the cheeseboard.

Select your cheeseboard – 3 to 5 cheeses work for a traditional tray. Let your cheeses come to room temperature for at least an hour before serving. Begin by placing the cheeses around the tray like the spokes of a wheel with the rind pointing to the inner part of the plate. In the center, build a small pile of grapes or other fruit. Ribbon meats in between cheeses, folding and fanning them to create a nice display. Add pickled vegetables and/or olives towards the edges of the tray.

Next, arrange a few slices of fruit or groupings of nuts or dried fruit between the cheese, then scatter a few nuts or pieces of dried fruit over the top. Garnish the center by standing up branches of fresh herbs in with the pile of grapes. Place a separate knife on the edge for each cheese and place any condiments (fruit pastes or compotes, honey, or chutneys) on a separate plate with small spoons to serve.