12 Tempting Valentine's Day Charcuterie Boards for At-Home Dates (2024)

FAQs

Can you put dates on a charcuterie board? ›

Pitted Dates are a great addition to a charcuterie board and can be sliced and served alongside meats like prosciutto or salami. The sweetness of the fruit complements the saltiness of the meats, making for a well-rounded experience.

Charcuterie boards may be hot right now, but they also have staying power. That's partly because the variety of artisanal meats, cheeses and accoutrements available is endless, meaning platters can be switched up frequently so there's always something new for guests to sample.

Charcuterie boards are known for being over the top and so colorful. All of these incredible colors are thanks to, in large part, the fruits. Bananas, pineapples and melons are not such a great idea.

Select a variety of cheeses, making sure to include an aged variety, a creamy cheese, a blue cheese and perhaps a smoked cheese. Round out the platter with cold cuts, bread, an abundance of seasonal fruits, dried fruit, crudité, nuts and olives.

What is the 3-3-3-3 Rule for Charcuterie Boards? No matter the style of the wood charcuterie board, you can always follow the 3-3-3-3 rule. Every charcuterie board should have three meats, three cheeses, three starch options, and three accompaniments, such as fruit, nuts, or veggies.

Meats and cheeses dry out quickly, so I recommend assembling your simple charcuterie board no more than 3 hours in advance without the bread and crackers. Once assembled, wrap the board tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to enjoy.

In place of the cheese and meats on a charcuterie board, a butter board is softened butter spread out on a wooden board and then covered in herbs to serve over bread.

What's replacing charcuterie board? ›

You can make a butter board for any season or holiday. It's a great way to express your creativity and surprise friends with something different at your next party. Try a butter board.

These boards are no longer confined to traditional European flavors. Instead, consumers are embracing global flavors and fusion charcuterie boards that feature diverse ingredients and seasonings. To stay on-trend, it's crucial to explore international spices, herbs, and ingredients.

Stuff pitted dates with your soft cheese of choice. For something mild and creamy, go for ricotta. For something a tough tangy, go for goat cheese. Or for something a little wild, go for blue cheese.

*You can easily prep boards in advance. Prepare up to 24 hours in advance, cover, and store in the fridge until ready to serve. Continue scrolling down to get my charcuterie grocery list to give you a list of ideas!

This includes cooked and cured meat products like hams, sausages, terrines, and pâtés. While traditionally that was the jest of it, these days a charcuterie board implies a spread of cured meats, cheeses, fresh fruits, spreads, crackers, and breads.

Extras — pickles, spreads, nuts, fruits — should all be plentiful. It's OK if they out-number your meats and cheeses, since your guests may want to play with different flavor combos in each bite. It would not be unreasonable to serve 5-10 handfuls or small vessels of extras.