Secret Cheeseboard Blog
Our Secret Guide For Making a Sophisticated Spread
I am beyond excited to share our secrets step by step on how to make your next spread as sophisticated as it can be. Below I have an in depth grocery list on everything under the sun that you could possibly need for your charcuterie board. When you go shopping, be sure to bring your Sophisticated Spreads tote bag for good measure:)
After you purchase your supplies, check out our series of images (at the bottom of this page) that are intended to be used as a reference guide while you create your masterpiece.
Happy grazing to all my fellow cheese lovers, and I hope you cheese the day!
XOXO,
Emmy
Charcuterie Grocery List - MUST Haves
Cheese is arguably the most important part of a good charcuterie board. It's the bread and butter. The star of the show. A make or break aspect. The key to a good charcuterie board is different textures and shapes. Here are the five cheeses I went with for the most variety.Â
Sharp Cheddar - A Crowd Favorite Crumbly CheeseÂ
Vanilla Blueberry Goat Cheese - Soft, Mild Cheese that is Unique
Manchego - Semi Hard Cheese with a Fun Shape
Herbed Brie - Every Board Needs a Brie.
Stilton Blue - Funky Cheese for Adventurous Eaters
Meats – For charcuterie meats, you can’t really go wrong. Always buy salami for rivers or roses, and I like sopressata and prosciutto too for variety. I recommend buying 3 types of meat.Â
Carb Central – Crackers are the backbone of the spread so make sure you cover your bases with a variety of crunchiness, texture, flavor, etc. I recommend 3 to 4 types of crackers.Â
Fig Crackers are a huge hit and pair well with most cheeses
Rustic Bakery Salted Cracker is the perfect neutral cracker.
Crostinis make a spread the most sophisticated.
Fruit – If you learn one thing from this, remember to highlight seasonal ingredients. If its summer, throw a peach on your spread. Fall is persimmons. Winter is pears. Spring is cherries. However, there are a few must have fruits regardless of season.
Grapes
Blackberries
Strawberries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Condiments - I LOVE a good jam. I think pepper jam and honey are integral parts of a cheeseboard so be sure to include them on your board. If not both, then at least one. If you fancy olives or pickles you can’t go wrong with throwing those in a little ramekin, it's just not usually my cup of tea.Â
Nuts - I go crazy for a good candied nut on my charcuterie board. Skip the boring nuts and try something new for your board. Its always good to have one neutral nut, but I like to spice it up with a nice caramelized pecan, spicy pistachio, honey roasted peanut, etc. I recommend 2 to 3 types of nuts.Â
Other Accouterments - Here is when you can have fun with it. I like to add a sweet note to the board like chocolate covered almonds or sea salt caramels. I also enjoy a nice dried fruit like apricots. I recommend buying a variety of small additions for your board to dress it up with your favorite flavors.Â
The Final Product
Congrats! After 12 steps of cheesy goodness you made it to the final product. Please share with us your final result if you follow our tutorial, and tag us on social @SophisticatedSpreads ... If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out !