This gorgeous, romantic, and keto-friendly charcuterie board is sure to be a hit with you and your partner, no matter the occasion.
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Peace, family.
It’s February 2020 already. I know that for some of you, January seemed like it would never end. I actually feel quite the opposite; it flew by! In January my blog experienced a phase of very rapid growth that lowkey blew my mind; okay, it was highkey. If you’re reading this then I totally have you to thank. Thank you for entertaining my random musings and shenanigans, and double thanks to those of you who have made and sent photos of the recipes. I cherish each and every message.
While we’re on the subject of February, please do not forget about our Black History Month Virtual Potluck. I collaborated with my awesome peers to bring you 29 Vegetarian Recipes That Celebrate the Diversity of Black Cuisine. I made a Lemon Rosemary Pound Cake (keto friendly of course), but there’s tons of other recipes to look through, and they’re all awesome.
Love is in the air, y’all and Valentine’s Day is next week.Yikes. Some of you know that I’m a married gal. October of 2020 will mark our first big milestone, 5 years! Our plan is to be in the Bay Area celebrating the union of two of our dearest friends. I started counting down the moment I found out.
I LOVE weddings. I love travel. I love our loved ones. The trip will combine all three.
I should clarify something though. I’m not really one of those girls who grew up fantasizing about a dream wedding or even a husband. I’m a bit more on the free spirited-side, so I figured I’d probably spend my days wandering from place to place, experiencing as much of the world as possible. If you’ve read my post ‘Deeply Rooted + Reflecting on One Year of Motherhood’ then you know I still have a few of those nomadic aspirations. It’s just my nature. But a lot has changed for me. Love, marriage and motherhood have changed me in the best way.
I used to think of marriages and mortgages as things that held you down and tied you in place. And where is the adventure in that, right? Wrong. I’ve gained so much more than I foolishly thought I would lose. We adventure. We randomly road trip with no solid plans. We get lost. We laugh. We embrace the unknown. We sing. We give each other time and space to be creative individuals, separate from one another.
I have:
- Stability
- Assurance
- A copilot
- A best friend
- A fortress for all of my secrets, fears, and desires
- An editor for my site (ha!)
Terrance and Baby Cash* I love you both more than you could ever even imagine. Wherever you two are on this crazy planet is my home, my safe space, my comfort, my joy. Whether that be in San Antonio, Texas or somewhere in the South of France. Happy Valentine’s Day my loves. Now let’s get to the good stuff.
*My son’s internet name, because people are crazy
What is a Charcuterie Board?
First, let me ensure that you’re saying it correctly. shär-ˌkü-tə-ˈrē. Got it? Let’s move on then. Charcuterie is simply prepared cured meat products, often served cold. It can also refer to the act of arranging such meats – typically pork products- in a spread with other ingredients like crackers, fruit, assorted cheese, etc.
I’ll give you a rundown of what was included on my board:
Pepperoni & Salami – Try to choose the highest quality meats possible. Skip the packaged stuff and talk to the folks over in your grocer’s deli. One of my favorite brands is Boar’s Head
Mini Pickles
Green Olives
Lily’s Chocolate – It’s not a proper Valentine’s Day without Chocolate. Lily’s is so good, and the best part is that there’s no sugar added.
Cucumber – Peeled & sliced. You can even hit them with a shot of coarse black pepper if you want.
Berries – For fruit, if you’re looking to go the low-carb/ low glycemic route, you’ll want to stick with berries. I chose strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.
Almonds
Cheese Crisps – I used oven-baked Parm Crisps in the place of crackers. Held up perfectly.
Cheese – I didn’t really take the traditional route with my cheese selections. I wanted something a little different, so I looked around the deli until I found something that caught my eye. I ended up with a smoked Dutch cheese and hot buffalo wing cheddar cheese. And when they say it’s hot, they’re not kidding. These cheeses paired nicely with the other flavors and textures on the board.
Banana Peppers
What Type of Board Should I Use?
If you’re preparing this for a special occasion, then you’ll want to serve your spread on a nicer board. A wooden cutting board works great, and there are tons of inexpensive options on the market. If you’re going for something a little more informal then any old serving plate works just fine. Cheese knives are also a great touch, but not necessary.
Arranging Your Spread
When it comes to arranging your charcuterie spread on your serving board or dish, you’ll kind of have to play around with the placement and design until you find an arrangement that appeases your visual taste. This board also pairs nicely with red wine or even a sparkling water situation
As usual, try it out and let me know what you think!
Peace,
Adri
Can’t make this recipe right now? Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board for later!
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