British charcuterie and cheese

The best sharing board to serve and it’s all homegrown

[There are some links provided in this post by the lovely Harvey and Brockless with some of the best British charcuterie and cheese]

Something for all to enjoy.

I’m a Kiwi, that we know.

But it also means I’m from the Commonwealth… HRH is my Queen too.

And of course, I’ve chosen to live in the UK for the past 22 years.

So, I think I can confidently say, that I am a proud Kiwi.

And a proud Kiwi-Brit (as some friends have nicknamed me).

But I can also say, that over those 22 years, I have been on an epic food journey with Britain.

Which has been quite a monumental journey.

From £5 carveries in sticky-red-carpet pubs under a blanket of cigarette smoke.

To oversized-gastro-pub Yorkshire puddings in newly smoke-free establishments.

And all the way through to the come back of incredible local independent food shops.

And restaurants which take so much pride in the food they offer.

Neighbours

Now, we’re taking on our European neighbours in charcuterie and cheese… not to mention, wine.

However, there is no disputing the enduring quality of certain European food and wine.

They have mastered cured meats like pancetta, chorizo, Parma ham etc over centuries.

However, Britain is now producing its own world-class products with their own distinctive flavours.

So the beauty is, you can now buy local.

Plus, you’re supporting good farming practices – check out my post on regenerative farming.

As well as looking after our planet by not using a long supply chain from abroad.

So, this Jubilee Weekend… or let’s be honest, any lovely weekend off.

Put together a fantastic British charcuterie and cheese board.

And enjoy with some great company and great (British) wine.

6 tips on how to build the perfect charcuterie board

It comes down to a few basics.

This includes getting the right balance of salty and sweet flavours.

And using colours and textures to really serve a ‘wow’ platter.

1. Texture

Mix and match different textures of food.

So, add a mix of things like hard salami, soft pâté, maybe a spicy sausage, creamy and firm cheeses, chewy dried fruits, and crunchy crackers and nuts.

The more textures the better.

2. Meat

As I mentioned, quality of quantity.

Especially as some meats can be a bit weighty on the wallet.

Here are some cracking cured meats I was lucky enough to try:

Suffolk salami is a delicious red wine and pepper salami
King Peter Ham a speck style air-dried ham cured with juniper, bay and peppercorns
Dorset air-dried coppa Pork neck fillet from free-range Dorset and Devon pigs is dry-cured with pepper, coriander, juniper and mace, and then air-dried.
Great Glen venison and green pepper salami from the Scottish Highlands, offers a fantastic depth of flavour with a hint of green pepper

3. Antipasti and condiments

So, this is how to tart up the platter with colour and more textures.

This means you can add things like fresh or dried fruits, nuts, pickled vegetables, olives, mustard, quince paste, jams, stuffed mini peppers, pickles etc

4. Crackers and bread

Definitely add some nice bread and or crackers.

One of my faves is the Plum and Dates Toasts and Sough Dough crackers.

Or add some fresh sough dough bread and just tear it into pieces.

5. Serving

It’s worth plating up your platter an hour before you serve it.

You want everything at room temperature.

6. Wine pairing

Don’t forget, the wine will always help make a charcuterie board even better!

So, check out Michael Sutton’s Cellar some earthy reds like a Pinot Noir, or bolder reds to cut through fat flavours.

Or if you’re like me, a nice glass of Champagne makes it even more special!

Cheeseboard

Did you know there is a certain way to build a cheese board?

Well, there is.

And it goes like this…

You need to follow the cheesemonger’s rule:

…something old, something new, something stinky, and something blue.

But the truth is.

I just put whatever cheese we love the most!

And I’d recommend you do the same.

Cheeses like:

A superb blue creamy cheese from South Wales, Perl Las.

Ashlynn goat’s cheese with a dark ash-coated rind.

Bix is a soft, pasteurised, triple cream cheese.