Kevin and I recently returned back from a short vacation to the Bahamas. We had taken a four-night Royal Caribbean cruise departing Miami, Florida, traveling to Nassau and CocoCay, Bahamas, and then returning back to Miami, Florida aboard the Mariner of the Seas. One of the specialty restaurants we ate at during our trip was Jamie’s Italian. We had read on cruise forums that one of the recommended dishes offered at Jamie’s Italian was the cured meat plank. We knew we definitely wanted to try the plank during our visit to the restaurant. When we arrived at the restaurant, we trusted our waiter to select a few appetizers for us along with the plank. All of the appetizers were tasty, but the meat plank was phenomenal. The cured meat plank had salami, mortadella, prosciutto, schiacciata, mozzarella, pecorino, chili jam, rainbow slaw, pickles, and olives. The flavors of the plank were paired so well together, we slowly savored each bite of meat, cheese, and side. Read more about our Bahamas trip here. Once we returned back from our trip, I immediately wanted to create my own meat, cheese, and fruit board. My ideal charcuterie board features both fresh and dried fruits, intensely flavored cheeses, crunchy nuts, cheese crackers, and cured meats. On Friday night, I picked up some of the items for my charcuterie board. On Saturday, I woke up early in the morning to run errands, squeeze in a quick run, and arrange the charcuterie board for brunch. I included many of my favorite fruits, cheeses, nuts, and meats. The flavors and textures of the ingredients in my version of the charcuterie board balanced very well together and made for the perfect meal to begin our day.
Charcuterie Board
· Handful of red grapes
· Handful of green grapes
· Handful of blackberries
· 1-2 tablespoons of dried cranberries
· 1-2 tablespoon of crushed pecans
· 1-2 tablespoons of pistachios
· Several slices of salami
· Several slices of pepperoni
· 2 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese
· 2 ounces of blue cheese
· 1 tablespoon of fig jam
· 2 pieces of cinnamon raisin bread, cut into equal pieces
· 6-8 cheddar cheese crackers
Directions:
1) Arrange the fresh fruits, dried fruits, nuts, meats, jam, cheeses, bread, and crackers evenly across the board.
Takeaways: A charcuterie board is very versatile. You can pretty much arrange the board with any cheese, fruit, nut, cracker and/or bread of your choice. My favorite type of charcuterie board has a mixture of flavors, textures, sweetness and saltiness.