Sponsored Post: Check out these easy entertaining tips for all your winter holidays and dinner parties, complete with charcuterie and pâté. This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Les Trois Petits Cochons.
Celebrate the darkest day of winter with this dark, moody charcuterie board that is sure to brighten your day with delicious flavors.
Everything has its wonders, even darkness and silence, and I learn, whatever state I may be in, therein to be content. ~ Helen Keller~ 
Winter solstice comes round again, the darkest day of the year. Let it be an occasion to look deeply at small things, to feel grounded in the earth with its seasons and cycles and to practice acceptance toward both the darkness and the light. A beautiful way to embrace the darkness is to celebrate it with friends. Light a candle, get cozy, pour some mulled wine and invite your friends over to enjoy the spirit of the season with this Winter Solstice Board. Or create the board together, asking each friend to bring one item.
This week we’ve partnered with Les Trois Petits Cochons, to celebrate the Winter Solstice and have created charcuterie board featuring dark winter fruits and many of their delicious products. Light a candle, get cozy, pour some mulled wine and invite your friends over to enjoy the spirit of the season with this Winter Solstice Board.
Les Trois Petits Cochons has be making small batch, all natural pâté and charcuterie since 1975, using high-quality ingredients. They began as a small charcuterie shop in Greenwich Village, New York and today provide specialty French meats far and wide.
When creating a Charcuterie Board, think about creating contrasting textures. Creamy luscious pate alongside crisp pears or apples, soft cheeses and hard cheeses, crunchy cornichons, smooth mustards and crispy crackers- all provide contrasting textures, which gives a board personality.
When it comes to flavors, try to hit all the notes. Add jams, fruit or dates for sweetness, fresh berries or pomegranate for tartness, salty umami flavors like olives, mustards, and pickled things. All of these flavor components make a board interesting.
When it comes to designing a board- I always like to start with a beautiful cutting board (available in our Bowl and Pitcher shop) as the foundation. Build upon it, layering. Place little bowls filled with olives, or jars filled with jams or mustard for height and decorate with winter fruit. Have fun with it, play around, and allow yourself to be creative, not overthinking. Tuck in winter greenery, fall leaves or rosemary for color.
Winter Solstice Charcuterie Board
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
Description
Celebrate the darkest day of winter with this dark, moody charcuterie board that is sure to brighten your day with delicious flavors.
Ingredients
- 1 cup toasted or spiced nuts
- 1/2 cup jam or preserves
- 3–4 different types of winter or dark fruits- grapes (figs, pomegranate, dark berries, pears, apples, dates)
- 3–4 different charcuteries (cured meats or pates)
- 3–4 different cheeses (soft, med, hard)
- seeded crackers
- mustard or cornichons (or pickled peppers or veggies)
- fresh herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme leaves, or greenery for tucking in.)
Instructions
- Begin by lighting candles. Play some music. Relax and take your time and enjoy the process.
- Using a extra large cutting board or platter, place bowls and jars in place where the jam, mustard, nuts and pickled things will go.
- Next place the cheeses in 3 different areas of the board, rather than all together.
- Then begin arranging and layering the charcuterie and pate – feel free to pile high vertically.
- Tuck in the fruit, and finish with the herbs, tucking in and filling in the space. If there is any more room for the crackers, add them too, otherwise, place them in a bowl or basket on the side.
- Enjoy your beautiful creation.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
