Charcuterie 101 + Tips for Hosting a Wine and Cheese Party

Charcuterie 101 + Tips for Hosting a Wine and Cheese Party ~ casual laid back entertaining at home ~ perfect for wine and cheese lovers.

GIVEAWAY!

When was the last time you had a girls’ night in? Your best girls at your house, good food, wine and of course plenty of laughs, catching up and sharing a little gossip. If you can’t remember when, it’s been too long.

Of course you can always meet at a restaurant, but that can be expensive and you lose the relaxed, ‘come as you are’ feeling of getting together in someone’s home.

Entertaining just got easier with step by step instructions for a drool-worthy charcuterie board, tips on how to host a wine and cheese party and if that’s not enough ~ a GIVEAWAY!

To enter the GIVEAWAY hop over to my Facebook page, leave a comment with the amount you think I spent at ALDI for everything you see in the photo (except the board) ~ and you could WIN an ALDI gift card to buy the ingredients (including the wine!) for your own girls’ night in.

That’s it. No signing up, clicking this or providing your email address (though if you haven’t already subscribed, it’s easy to get the latest A Gouda Life recipes sent right into your email box).

The person who guesses closest to the amount I paid wins!

ALDI is my go to, friend in the kitchen I didn’t known I needed, favorite store for wine and cheese and all the little extras that make up a great charcuterie board.

Here’s a list of what’s on the board. If you win, you can shop for these ingredients or swap them out for your favorites. Merchandise at ALDI stores can vary. You may find cheeses and wines you like even better at your local store. 

What’s on the board:

• 1 bottle of red wine
• 1 bottle of white wine
• Smoked Gouda cheese
• Havarti Jalapeno cheese
• Black Truffle Brie cheese
• Gruyere cheese
• Olives
• Grapes
• French baguette
• Parmesan (cracker) bites
• Prosciutto
• Dark chocolate sea salt caramels

A charcuterie board is just a fancy name for a meat and cheese board. Assembling one is simple and makes hosting a wine and cheese party effortless. Here are a few tips. 

Where to start:

Start with a board or platter.  You don’t need anything fancy. A clean cutting board works well (I have a couple I use just for charcuterie boards) .

Add cheese and meats:

Choose 3-5 different kinds of cheeses. Cut some and slice others so there’s some visual variety. Add one or two cured meats, like prosciutto and soppressata or even chorizo if you like something spicier. 

Plus olives, pickles or nuts for some crunch:

Olives, pickles or nuts not only add variety to the board, but texture and light crunch. 

Carbs! Must add carbs!

Carbs are a must. Buy a fresh baked baguette and some flavored crackers. Slice and toast the baguette then add it, along with the crackers to the board.

Who doesn’t like a little chocolate?

Okay, maybe chocolate isn’t normally found on a classic charcuterie board, but who doesn’t like a sweet treat? Dark chocolate tastes even better when it’s eaten with wine. 

Finish with a garnish:

Garnish the charcuterie board with something edible. Grapes, sliced apples or any seasonal fruit and vegetable is ideal. 

Now for the wine:

Choose a couple of different wines. It’s good to have both a red and white option. A Pinot Grigio is usually a safe bet for white wine drinkers and for reds, I like Cabernet Sauvignon. You’ll read about red wines being ‘dry’. This just means they aren’t sweet. 

Tip #1: Shop your refrigerator for goodies you already have to add to the board.  

Tip #2: Chill the white wine before guests arrive. 

Tip #3: Take the cheese out of the refrigerator 15 minutes or so before guests arrive.

Deadline:

The deadline to enter is Sunday, April 15, 2018 1:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. I’ll announce the winner (person closest to the actual amount) on Monday morning.

So gather your best girlfriends ~ the women who make you laugh; the ones you most like to spend an evening with ~ because you can all ENTER!

Good luck and enjoy!