Build Your Board – Charcuterie 101 - Seward Community Co-op

There are few treats better than a board full of delicious cheeses, meats, fruits, breads, spreads, and other little delights to eat by hand. Charcuterie boards have been popular in the United States for many years, but people around the world have been eating cured meats for much, much longer. Charcuterie comes from the French words chair, meaning meat, and cuit, meaning cooked, and charcuterie first referred to shops in 15^th century France that specialized in selling cured meats. Now, we know this word to describe beautiful boards full of our favorite handheld snacks. Putting one together for the holidays? Whether it’s your first time charcut-ing or you’re a seasoned pro, we’ve put together a roadmap to building your best board.

Meats

An overhead photograph of salami Kick off your charcuterie board with the cured meats from which it takes its name. Seward Co-op carries a variety of locally produced salumi, including Minneapolis-based Lowry Hill Provisions salami. These beautifully marbled delicacies are infused with mouthwatering flavors, from fennel to garlic to sumac and more. Underground Meats, a Wisconsin-based producer, is also known for their inventive salami flavors, including savory and sweet black garlic and botanical gin. Looking for something a little lighter? Try thinly sliced prosciutto and guanciale to diversify your board.

If you’re vegetarian or looking to eat less meat, try smooth and creamy Seward-made walnut pâté from the Grab n Go coolers.

Cheese

A photo of Prairie Breeze cheese Different cheeses on a cheese board with crackers Adorn your charcuterie board with different cheeses to give it textural and flavorful dimension. Try at least one hard cheese, one soft cheese, and one funky cheese. For hard cheeses, try crowd favorite Prairie Breeze from Iowa-based Milton Creamery. It’s is a salty sweet take on white cheddar and will gather all your guests around the board. Maple Leaf Smoked Gouda is another great hard cheese option, with a delightfully nutty and smoky flavor.

For soft cheeses, bring a little goat on board with local LeClare Creamery chevre. From the classic and creamy plain chevre to flavors like honey and herbs, these spreadable cheeses add variety and richness to your spread. Seward Co-op also carries a wide range of bries, which have a luxurious texture and full-bodied flavor. Try one or two for your board!

When it comes to the funky cheeses, try an AmaBlu from local Caves of Faribault. This blue cheese is aged for at least 75 days in their caves to produce a complex and creamy flavor. Alemar Cheese also makes a few funky soft cheeses, like Apricity, another creamy option with a bloomy rind and tangy flavors.

Honey and Spreads

The flavor of cheese is often complex, and many notes only come forward when it’s paired with other ingredients. Explore the nuance of your cheeses with locally produced honey, like Ames Farm, or spreads like Divina’s Sour Cherry or Fig.

Three jars of Divia spreads on top of cheese

A photo of Potter's Crackers

Bread and Crackers

We all love eating with our hands, but sometimes, you need a vehicle for your meats and cheeses (and a new texture to add visual appeal to your board!). Snag a tasty, chewy baguette from local Rose Street or Baker’s Field Flour and Bread, or try locally made crackers from Wisconsin, Potter’s Crackers (available at Franklin only).

Fruit

Finally, add a little sweetness to your board with fruit! Try sliced apples, luscious blackberries, chewy dried apricots, juicy grapes, or truly any fruit your heart desires. Olives—which are a fruit!—are also a great addition to any charcuterie board. A seasonal favorite are the tangerine chili olives in the Grab n Go coolers. These sweet and spicy gems are hard to stop eating, so grab a couple of containers!

a bowl of olives