January Charcuterie Boards

I started sharing charcuterie boards with you last year and they were such a hit.  They've gotten quite the following and been fun conversation topics with friends and followers.  I'll be checking in once a month with some charcuterie board inspiration for you.

The first question is usually - Where do you get your boards?

Answer: TJ Maxx and Aldi have the best deals on wooden cutting boards hands down.  They are almost always under $20 for very good size boards.  I got a new lazy susan type board for Christmas from TJ Maxx.  It's 20 inches wide, spins and was just $19.99.  I've also found some on Amazon, but they're more expensive.

The next question is often - How do you pronounce that charcuterie word anyway?

Answer: Char-coo-tree or chop-poo-ter-ree according to my 6 year old :)


I get excited when you tag me (@polkadottyplace) on your charcuterie board posts on instagram, message me with pictures of them or text me with boards you've put together.  They really are such a fun food to share with people.  Please keep it up in 2020!

We have LOVED the circle shaped lazy susan board.  It's so handy for dinner and for sharing with a crowd.  The big size makes it easy to spread out all the ingredients.

#1
I baked some frozen Super Pretzels to add to our boards for New Years.  We also added some queso cheese dip for them.  Both were delicious.  The pretzels only back for 4-5 minutes and are so good.  The whole family enjoyed them.  I've made homemade soft pretzels before, but it just wasn't worth the time and effort for this meal.

#2
I experimented with new fruit (kiwi) and using up leftovers (pizza reheated in the oven) to add this this board.  All the warm foods during the cold months are a hit on my charcuterie boards.  I didn't want my pizza to leave grease stains on my board so I plated the slices.  I also added some fun toothpicks to this board.  My kids loved picking up their bites with them.

I volunteered to bring charcuterie boards to a couple of family gatherings for Christmas.  They were very simple and went over well.  I bought all the ingredients at my Aldi and then traveled with them to visit family.  It definitely saved me money to shop this way.

#3
I did two kinds of olives, 4 kinds of salty crackers, 4 cheeses (sharp cheddar, white cheddar, colby jack and white cheddar cranberry) and then 3 kinds of meats.  It was the perfect size for an appetizer plate to share.

I got this board for my birthday.  It's perfect for charcuterie on the go since it has a rim around the edges of the board.  The size is really handy.

#4
I am fully aware that this can be a germy time of year so here's my charcuterie board solution for that: Individual charcuterie plates.   This is also a good solution if you have young kids or don't love the idea of certain foods touching.

I've talked about it before, but we definitely have charcuterie board dinner rules that we all follow.  A quick recap - only touch one food item at a time, you must take the items you touch, you need to eat a variety of items on the board and not always go back for the same thing, try new combinations and ask for help if you can't reach something you want.  Our dinners are so much fun!  We all enjoy this meal when it comes on the menu.

We do this set up for lunch regularly or sometimes for dinner if someone isn't feeling great.  We'll build similar plates for everyone and then you can keep your germs to yourself :)

Let me know if you have any questions, concerns or troubles with building your own charcuterie boards.  I'd LOVE to help you!!