You know what cheers up any winter evening? The perfect charcuterie board. A little cheese, maybe some cured meats, bread fresh from the bakery, and definitely an adult beverage of some sort. The only thing left to add is your latest binge-worthy show! Here are some of our tried-and-true tips for nailing your charcuterie every time.
Buy quality cheese.
Let’s be honest, cheese is the centerpiece of any charcuterie board. It can make or break the board, and we want to set you up for success. Which is why we have two recommendations:
Marburger Farm Dairy
Marburger has been family owned and operated since 1938 out of Evans City, about 35 minutes north of Pittsburgh. They only use locally sourced, Western Pennsylvania Family Farm Milk – supporting 70 local farming families. They ship their buttermilk coast to coast, and they’ve won multiple national awards for their buttermilk, 2%, and chocolate milk (trust us, get some of their chocolate milk!) We’re betting that you recognize their milks and teas (peach is our favorite), but did you know they also sell dairy by-products like cottage cheese, yogurt, and sour cream? Check their website for a full list of their products.
Goat Rodeo Farm & Dairy
Because what’s a charcuterie board without adding something special! Goat Rodeo is a 130-acre family owned and operated farm in Northern Allegheny county. Their herd of 100+ purebred goats have year round access to pasture because their motto is happy, healthy animals produce the best milk – and the best milk makes the most delicious cheese. They also source fresh, high quality cow’s milk and goat’s milk from partnering small farms in the region to make their award-winning cheeses using traditional techniques. All of their cheeses will compliment your charcuterie board, but you can really make it Insta-worthy if you pick their Wild Rosemary. It’s, as they call it, a “soft, supple beauty with an adventurous spirit.” It’s an artisanal mixed milk cheese that’s hand pressed with freshly dried rosemary and extra virgin olive oil. Drooling yet? Us, too. (PS – check out their Instagram or Facebook to see all the goats making these delicious cheeses!)
Go for locally cured meats.
Once you’ve gotten your cheeses, pick out one or two meats to compliment them. You can never go wrong if you stop into local classics like Penn Mac, Parma Sausage, and Salty Pork Bits. Not sure what will work with your cheeses? Just ask! We’re sure they’ll be able to help you pick your new favorite.
Fill in with everything else.
You could definitely stop at cheese and meat…but why would you? Get freshly baked bread from your favorite bakery – a few we like include La Gourmandine, Driftwood, Allegro Hearth Bakery, Five Points Bakery, Mediterra, and Madeleine Bakery & Bistro.
Don’t forget pickles from Pittsburgh Pickle Company or Bridge City Brinery. And naturally you’ll need mustard from Miller’s. Honey from Paul Family Farms is also a must! Top it all off with some nuts, fruit, olives, even some sweets like chocolate.
Don’t forget the drinks!
They’re not necessary…but they’re also completely necessary. Wine is the obvious choice (check out our favorites both in Pittsburgh and in the surrounding areas). But any drink will do – maybe you want to build your charcuterie to pair with your favorite local craft beer or even a cocktail made with a local spirit. Branch out and experiment! After all, winter is long, and there’s no reason why we can’t have an amazing charcuterie at least once a week 😉
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.