Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Charcuterie Board


The latest trend in hospitality at your local winery is the outdoor patio where you can get wine by the glass, order a pizza, select a cheese plate or a charcuterie board. My favourite is the charcuterie board, which seems to go extremely well with a wine assortment.

Charcuterie plate charcuterie (shahr-cute-uh-ree) is a French word for any smoked, dry-cured or cooked meat. This category includes favourites like bacon, ham, pâté and sausages. More esoteric items like terrines, rillettes, galantines and duck confit are also considered charcuterie.

Access to a good butcher shop is important to the winery for selecting quality meats.  The plate often is composed of various salamis and prosciutto ham. A spreadable jam or chutney is a must, and of course crackers or toast.

The French prefer duck rillettes and various pates`



Although cheese is not considered charcuterie almost everyone has various cheeses on their board. Cheese goes well with wine, nuts and olives are often included on the plate

I prefer a light refreshing wine such as Pinot Grigio or a soft Riesling.

Glass House Estate produces a very nice one in the Fraser Valley. In Ontario Coffin Ridge is rated highly.

One of the secrets to a good charcuterie board at a winery is to keep it simple too many flavours can overwhelm the wine. Let your guests savour the foods and the wines. 

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