The focus of any gathering or party, besides the guests of course is always the food which creates a focal point to gather around, a conversation started and the perfect platform place to catch up with friends.

However, the question of the hour always seems to be what will be on the menu? Like the company in itself, the food must always be eclectic – food that pleases the crowd and most importantly is easy and quick to assemble and most importantly looks good for the “gram”. #hostgoals. What makes these so good is that they pair well with everything including wine, single malts and most important of all, Habanos. 

One of our favorite things to serve is a charcuterie board which can combine many dufferent elements be it meats and cheeses to spreads and dips. Below are a few of our tips to make the perfect Charcuterie platter.

Wooden Board: Get yourself a wood board. They are the perfect backdrop to whatever you decide to include on your board.

Textures & Flavours: When making a cheese platter always remember to include a variety of food in textures and flavors so that there is something for everyone. From a variety of Carbs, proteins, fibre, an ideal platter would include, crostinis, breads, cheese, fresh fruits, meats, veggies, sweet and savoury snacks, dips and spreads

Visual Presentation: Colour is key. Add pops of colour wherever you can that makes the board stand out. Green grapes, strawberries, cheddar cheese, olives and any kind of meat you like are lovely for added visual presentation and for actual food elements.

Shapes and Sizes are your friends: Cut your cheeses, meat and fruits in various shapes and sizes. Cubes, triangles and lengths are great for visual appeal and placement of these are key as well. When placing them on the board, you want your foods to touch. Do not space your food as blank spaces of the wooden board do not look good

Keep food at room temperature: No one likes cold food. Assemble your platter at least an hour before your get-together starts. This way you will have cheeses and dips at the room temperature by the time of serving.

Carbs forever: Add a lot of carbohydrates. The breads and crackers are always the first to go, so always keep enough back up for the carbs. 

Ingredients:

Cheese

Hard Cheese:
1. Aged Cheddar
2. Comte
3. Goat Gouda

Soft Cheese:

1. Brie
2. Mozzarella
3. Camembert
4. Chevre
5. Goat Cheese
6. Feta Cheese

Bread & Crackers

1. Plain & salted crackers
2. Breadsticks
3. Lavash
4. Baguette
5. Pita Bread
6. Focaccia Bread

Spread & Dips

1. Hummus
2. Salsa
3. Sundried Pesto
4. Pesto 

Cured Meat

1. Prosciutto
2. Salami
3. Spanish Chorizo
4. Pepperoni
5. Bacon
6. Pancetta
7. Sausage

Fresh Fruits & veggies

1. Olives
2. Figs
3. Apple
4. Strawberries and blueberries
5. Bell Pepper
6. Carrot
7. Cucumber/Zucchini
8. Pears
9. Grapes

Added elements / Seasoning

1. Nuts
2. Salt
3. Pepper
4. Lemon

This is best served with a curated selection of wine and Habanos Cigars!