To me, nothing is better than a charcuterie board, especially when it’s a summer charcuterie board. Sitting on the dock overlooking the lake, your skin is warm from the afternoon sun. A fire crackling in the background warming up for s’mores and hot dogs. The feeling of summer is vibrant and warm.

My summer charcuterie board is a combo of a veggie + fruit tray meets a charcuterie board. During the summer I love to stock up on as much fresh farmers market produce as I can. Even though a charcuterie board is typically just meats + cheeses, I can’t help but to include loads of fruits + veggies in my summer board.

summer charcuterie board: meat + cheese recommendations

Sartori BellaVitano Merlot Cheese – this is my favorite cheese, probably ever. I could eat the whole block. Merlot BellaVitano is a Cheddar Parmesan inspired cow’s cheese infused with Merlot wine. The flavors are reminiscent of berry + plum and pairs perfectly with most things, if I’m being honest.

Sharp Cheddar – A good sharp cheddar goes so well with summer produce.

Boursin – This is very specific, but a good boursin will not go a long way. It will be gone within 5 minutes if you leave it unsupervised around me. Boursin pairs so well with things like calabrese salami, fig jam, rosemary crackers, berries + stone fruits. 10/10 would recommend adding this to your charcuterie board line up.

Salami – I have a standard grouping of salami’s that I always go for when I put together a charcuterie board. They always consist of calabrese, genoa + Cacciatore. I love a spicier salami, and these 3 offer that. If you are not big on spices or you want to branch out, I would recommend prosciutto, Sopressata, speck, coppa or even a crispy honey roasted pancetta – which you can find here.

Kielbasa – I’m not sure how traditional adding kielbasa is to your boards, but sharp cheddar, fig jam + kielbasa go together like peanut butter and jelly. A match made in heaven.

For cheeses, I try to keep it between 3 – 4 per board. Unless you’re rocking a massive board, then by all means, the more the merrier. For a small board like this one, I keep it between 3 – 4 so I can perfectly tailor each pairing. Knowing what the flavors of all your components are so you can pick complimenting ingredients is a key factor in a perfect board.

additional components

Seasonal Fruit – Adding fruit to your board is completely optional. I personally love having a variation of fresh fruit on my board, to brighten up the other flavors. On this summer board I used blueberries, blackberries, strawberries + pears.

Veggies – Similarly to the seasonal fruit, adding vegetables is totally optional. As I mentioned earlier, in the summer I love to have all the produce I can. Preferably seasonal, but if not that’s okay too. On this board I went with cherry tomatoes, heirloom carrots + cucumbers (from my garden).

Breads + Crackers – Being celiac, I tend to lean for crackers over bread when it comes to a charcuterie board. The reason behind that is it can be hard to find a really nice quality gluten free french loaf or baguette that won’t break your teeth. If you do not follow a gluten free diet, then by all means, bring in the fresh baguette + olive oil, I encourage it. If bread isn’t really your vibe and you want to use crackers instead, don’t worry, I got you!

Here are some of gluten free crackers: schar gf rosemary crackers – these ones are my absolute favorite, they may break easily but the flavor is amazing, they resemble a water cracker to me. schar gf crackers – a non rosemary version of the first one. glutino gf crackers – a thicker cracker. simple mills almond flour crackers  – small almond flour crackers. stonewall gf sea salt cracker.

the atmosphere

The next and possibly most important step to having an amazing charcuterie board is to serve it in the right atmosphere. Charcuterie boards are meant to be savored and appreciated. Typically the components on a board are of the higher quality and deserve love. You don’t want to rush the consumption of a board, especially in the summer.

The summer gives you so many great spaces and places to set up your scene. Mother nature does most of the work for you. First step is to pick your destination, I went with dockside, because it’s where I spend all my summers. Next, set your scene. How do you want your guest to feel? What do you want them to remember? What sounds should they hear? What is making them feel comfortable in the space?

To create my scene, I picked a corner of my dock, so you sat close to the water. I set the board out at dusk, when the sun is just setting and the light peaks through the trees. I placed a large soft pink picnic blanket out – to compliment the surrounding colours. Next to that, a large weaved basket filled with fresh wild flowers. Soft upbeat jazz playing in the background with the soft sounds of water hitting the shoreline and a crackling fire. I served rosé + peach sangria- to keep my guests warm. I paired it with fresh and bold flavors such as strawberries + blackberries. By pleasing all of the senses, the guests will stay for hours, mingling, laughing + bonding over a dish that was created + curated out of pure love.

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