Equal parts cozy and celebratory, this cheese and charcuterie board recipe sets the stage for a warm holiday eve or an elegant soiree. Creamy cheese melting into crusty bread makes for the ideal comfort pairing, while flavors of rosemary and truffle elevate each bite. With a flavor profile that evokes decadence, this recipe harnesses the essence of winter.
Bring warmth to this board by styling it with our beautiful 10 piece cheese board set in black and gold. Elevate it by staging a tan linen napkin and using white side plates with character on the edges.
Get the look by shopping the links below!
How to Make Cheese and Charcuterie Boards
The Bamboo Abode headquarters are in Seattle, and we love being tourists in our own city. We’ve made a habit of visiting Pike Place Market at least a couple of times a year. Established in 1946, De Laurenti, a lovely Italian deli, is a Pike Place Market staple. De Laurenti carries imported specialty meats, cheeses, spreads, wines, and other decadent items.
The best part of visiting this local gem is sampling the cheeses. We usually spend a few minutes just browsing and tasting. The ingredients for this recipe are inspired by our trips to De Laurenti and the many beautiful offerings there.
We encourage you to find a local deli to source your ingredients. We promise it will be a memorable and fun experience. Heck, you might even make it a new ritual! However, if you are in a pinch, variations of the ingredients for this board are available at Trader Joe's and other common grocery chains.
Host at Home by The Bamboo Abode cheese board recipes follow a simple formula to ensure cohesive flavor profiles.
Cheese: For this cheese board recipe, we chose Délice de Bourgogne, a semi-hard truffle cheese, and aged white cheddar. These three kinds of cheese vary in firmness and flavor profile, ensuring a unique taste with each bite. Délice de Bourgogne is a triple cream cheese made from cow's milk with a tangy flavor. The flavors get even richer with the aged white cheddar, which introduces a wonderfully salty element. Choosing a truffle cheese will depend on what’s available to you at stores and markets. We decided on an Italian Moliterno al Tartufo, made from sheep’s milk with decadent truffle veining throughout.
Charcuterie: Capicola, or coppa, is an Italian cured meat with a spicy, smokey flavor. It comes from the neck and shoulder and is well-known for being tender. Choosing a pâté can be fun if you are open to exploring different things. We served a classic Pâté de Campagne for this board, but a Foie Gras or Mousse would also pair nicely.
Cracker: Who doesn't love crusty bread? The soft, spongy inside of the bread makes the perfect canvas for a creamy smear of pâté or soft cheese. In contrast, the fruit and nut crackers offer a nice crunchy bite.
Savory: You can’t go wrong with mixed olives. If you’ve never had caramelized onion jam you’re in for a treat. Smear this on top of a slice of Délice de Bourgogne.
Sweet: The green apples balance the rich flavors of this board with a bit of tartness. No cheese board is complete without the sweetness of grapes—the perfect burst of sweet acids to a salty bite of cheese.
Crunchy: Dark chocolate pieces are great to nibble on between bites and bring an excellent bitter addition to any cheese.
Garnish: Rosemary sprigs offer aroma and visual interest to complete the board.
DIY Simple Cheese and Charcuterie Boards
Start by placing the cheeses on the board. One good rule of thumb when placing three kinds of cheese on one board is to arrange them in a triangle shape at opposite ends of the board.
Serve the Délice de Bourgogne whole on parchment paper (it usually comes with a thin piece of parchment paper to protect it).
Once you've decided where to place the aged cheddar, crumble about 2/3s of the aged cheddar block with the spade knife from the set. Leave the remainder of the block whole.
Leave the semi-firm truffle cheese whole. The veining is so beautiful, and we want it to be the star of the show.
Next, place the bowls slightly off-centered. Add the olives and the caramelized onion jam.
Now, it's time to add the charcuterie! Fan the capicola and place it near the Délice de Bourgogne. The vibrant red of the capicola pops next to the creamy white cheese. Then, slice the crusty bread into ¼-inch thick pieces. Gently cut the pâté and carefully place it on the crusty bread. If the pâté you sourced is a paste, smear it onto the bread. Arrange on the board.
Scatter the fruit and nut crackers around the bowls.
Lay the grape vines on the board and let the ends drape over the board's edges. Depending on the size of your grapes, there may be space to put the grapes in multiple places. Thinly slice the green apple and fan it outward.
Break the dark chocolate into bite-size pieces and fill in any remaining empty spaces.
Garnish the board by placing sprigs of rosemary throughout. Add a small sprig to the top of the Délice de Bourgogne.
Cheese Board Recipe
Prep Time | Serving Size |
30 minutes | 4-6 |
Cheese Board Ingredients
- Délice de Bourgogne, whole with parchment
- Semi-Hard Truffle Cheese, whole wedge
- Aged White Cheddar, sliced matchsticks
- Capicola, folded in half
- Pâté, sliced on crostini
- Fruit and Nut Crackers, scattered throughout
- Crusty Bread, sliced and toasted
- Green Apple, sliced
- Purple Grapes, left on vine
- Mixed Olives, in bowl
- Caramelized Onion Jam, in bowl
- Dark Chocolate, broken
- Rosemary Sprigs, for garnish
Cheese Board Assembly
- Set cheese out at room temperature one hour before serving.
- Start with the handle at the top. Position the cheese and the bowls on the board.
- Fold and fan the capicola, and place the sliced crusty bread with pâté.
- Scatter the crackers in the center around the bowls.
- Place grapes on the vine and let them drape over the board's edge. Fan the sliced apples outward toward the edge.
- Fill any remaining space with dark chocolate.
- Garnish with rosemary sprigs. Place a small rosemary sprig on top of the Délice de Bourgogne.
Cheese Board Serving Tips
Crusty Bread: Slice the crusty bread into ¼ in thick pieces. Offer on a side dish. If pâté isn't available, smear on Délice de Bourgogne.
Fanned Capicola: Fold the capicola in half to create a half-moon shape. Lay flat—repeat folding. Lay the new piece slightly overlapped to create a fan shape. Watch our meat folding tutorial.
Say cheese! Take a pic of your beautiful board and tag @thebambooabode or follow us for more cheese and charcuterie inspo!
