There’s a misconception among my readers and friends that I spend my entire day cooking and creating elaborate dishes. Unbeknownst to many, I have several day gigs and if you follow me on twitter, you will soon realize that my routine diet consists of a yogurt on the go, dry breakfast cereal, edamame, and coffee. The glamorous life.
After a long day, cooking is often the last thing on my mind. So what’s a girl to do when I yearn to stay in and unwind with love ones instead of going out or eating more breakfast cereal and edamame?
Charcuterie Night to the Rescue!
Simply lay out a spread of meats, cheeses, condiments, and nibbles, and save your time for socializing. Share the tasks. Have one person wash the fruit, one set the table, while another cuts the bread etc. It is also a great way to clear out the fridge.
There are NO rules but here are some quick ideas to help get you started.
Shopping:
- Pick something you simply adore.
- Pick something you wouldn’t consider trying.
- Sample sample sample!
- Life’s too short to worry about pairing. It will naturally occur as guests dabble and share their favourite combinations.
- Only buy as much as you need.
- Eat local whenever possible.
Meat – Mix it up!:
- Texture: think outside of tubular meats (chuckle). Headcheese? Paté?
- Flavour: how was it cured? herbs and spices? smoked? aged?
Cheese – take your cheese monger’s suggestions:
- 1 soft cheese
- 1 hard cheese
- 1 blue cheese
- 1 weirdo, unheard of cheese
Nibbles – mix up the colours:
- Olives
- Seasonal fruit cut into bite size/ slices
- Nuts
- Pickles: easily made ahead of time. think red onion, daikon, beets… the jarred varieties work just as well, like cornichons!
- Edamame?!
Condiments – the je ne sais quoi:
- Honey
- Chutney
- Preserves
- Relish
- Mustard
- Garlic Confit
Bread – have plenty. at least:
- 1 Soft: baguette, focaccia, sourdough
- 1 Hard: breadsticks, croutons, flatbreads
Wine:
- beaucoup
- et beaucoup
Setting:
- 1 knife per cheese
- knives and forks
- side plates
- labels (I make mine out of scrap paper)
- little bowls for pits/ scraps
- water
- something pretty
Care to share your tips too?