Charcuterie boards are incredibly popular ways to present appetizers these days. The pops of color and groupings of many delectable treats make them both visually and gustatorily appealing. They are the perfect pre-dinner nosh, unless one of your guests happens to have problems with gluten. For those guests, the charcuterie board is a kind of elegant torture because it looks so good and so many of the things could be eaten if they were not coming into contact with crumbs from the crackers and breads. Believe me, a huge majority of people who cannot eat gluten wish that they could enjoy those crackers and breads, but the results of such a dietary indiscretion are unpleasant and long lasting. Why not include the gluten-free guests by keeping crackers and breads separate from the cheeses? Also, provide spoons to scoop out the soft cheeses and any dips you include in order to discourage dipping with the breads or crackers. If you have a severely allergic guest, such as someone with celiac disease, you might consider making a separate plate of the charcuterie components for this person to avoid any chance of cross-contamination. It would only take a minute, and your gluten-challenged guests would definitely appreciate it!
Components of A Great Charcuterie Board:
- Crackers–You may want to include gluten free crackers or tortilla chips for your gluten-sensitive guests
- 1 soft cheese or butter–such as feta, brie, camembert
- 1 medium cheese–such as cheddar, gouda, fontina
- 1 aged cheese–such as parmesan, stilton, leicestershire
- Soft spread–such as hummus or artichoke dip
- Preserved meat–such as salami or proscuitto
- Jam or dried fruit
- Roasted nuts
- Olives or pickles
- Grapes, pears, or apples
