Holiday Charcuterie Boxes + The 12 Days of Appies!
December 1, 2018 by Nicole Collins
It's time for our December challenge!
Last year, we had tons of fun doing the 12 Days of Cookies Challenge! But, I wanted to shake things up a little bit this year.
So this year, we're celebrating with the 12 Days of Appies Challenge!
That's right! Over the next 12 days, we're going to be enjoying ALL kinds of appetizers that are perfect for holiday entertaining but that can also be enjoyed all year long!
Some of the appetizers that we make will just be the perfect combination of assembled ingredients; some will require a little more effort; but all will be really simple overall. And, of course, totally delicious!
First up, we're making Holiday Charcuterie Boxes!
I got the idea for this appetizer while I was in Italy. One night, after a long day of eating, we just wanted something on the lighter side for dinner. So, we sought out a restaurant with a solid charcuterie spread. The restaurant served the charcuterie in the most adorable wooden boxes. We got one box for meat and one box for cheese. Then, they served a spread of breads and jams and honeys on the side. It was so good!
But, I was so totally obsessed with the presentation that while I was sitting at dinner, I was looking up charcuterie boxes. It turns out, it's not a thing. But, I started doing some other google searches for things like “wooden boxes with compartments” and “hinged slim wooden boxes”; and ultimately, I ended up finding tea boxes.
And, that's EXACTLY what I had been looking for!
So, I'm recreating the magic of those charcuterie boxes, holiday style, for the first appie on our list!
Ok, so some of the pros to these Holiday Charcuterie Boxes. 1. They're 100% assemble only. No cooking involved. Which means they're totally easy to put together. 2. They're 100% customizable. I wanted a super pretty spread, and I'm totally obsessed with Aldi's cheese section. So, I was able to get a unique blend of flavors and colors in my cheeses while also getting a delicious variety of Italian meats. 3. These charcuterie boxes are not only beautiful in presentation, but they also double as an incredible hostess gift! This time of year, we all get invited to parties and don't want to show up empty handed; so why not surprise your loved ones with good food and a cute gift they can use again for future parties?!?
Like I said, I love Aldi's cheese section SOOOOO much. Actually, 100% of the contents of this box came from Aldi. The crackers came from an assorted box that they carry. The grapes came from their produce section. (I also really love their produce.) But, you can literally put any types of meat, cheese, crackers, and fruit in these boxes to match whatever type of themed party you're hosting or attending.
When you're putting together any charcuterie board, you want to make sure follow a few simple rules. You need a mixture of hard and soft cheeses. You need a mixture of hard and soft meats. Plus, you want to consider spice level and salt level in your meats. You need a medium to hold the meats and cheeses (crackers, bread, etc). And, you need something sweet. I let grapes play that role in my charcuterie spread. But, you could also put out some honey or jam to fill that role as well.
TOTALLY FLEXIBLE!
These are the tea boxes I ordered from Amazon. I love them because of the glass lid, so you can see right through while you're carrying it. But, there are SOOOOOO many types of tea boxes out there, you can pick the design that suits you best!
Alright guys, that's it for today. Can't wait to snack with you again tomorrow!
Let's eat!
Holiday Charcuterie Box
Serves: a crowd! Print
Ingredients:
4 types of sliced Italian meats (I used prosciutto, soppressata, hot capicola, and salami), torn
4 types specialty cheeses (I used cranberry white cheddar, sage derby, blueberry vanilla goat cheese, and roasted tomato, basil, and garlic semi-soft cheese), sliced
6 types crackers (I used a mix of rosemary, veggie, wheat, and poppy seed crackers)
grapes
sandwich paper, parchment paper, or wax paper, cut in to squares
Directions:
Line each compartment of the tea boxes with 2 squares of sandwich paper. Fill the center 4 squares of 1 box with torn meats. Fill the center 4 squares of the second box with cut cheeses. Fill 3 of the outside corners of each box with crackers. Fill the last open square of each box with grapes. Refill squares as necessary!
Recipe notes:
*What's great about these boxes is that you can fill them with whatever kinds of meats and cheese you love. This idea works year round, too! Just make sure you have a variety of hard and soft cheeses, different flavors of crackers, and different spice/salt levels of meat. Make sure to get some contrast in color too!
*If you're serving a smaller party, you could combine the meats and cheeses in one box, and just serve the crackers and fruit on the side.
*I got 100% of the contents for my boxes at Aldi. They have an incredible meat and cheese section. The crackers came in a variety pack of 6 different kinds of crackers. I love Aldi!
*Not only is this an ADORABLE way to present a cheeseboard, it also doubles as a great hostess gift! Cut up lots of extra meats and cheeses, so the boxes can be easily refilled with no effort.
*These are the tea box and sandwich paper I used. The sandwich paper helps to protect the boxes, since they're not really washable. So, don't skip out on lining the boxes first!
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