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You might find classics like a good cheddar or swiss cheeses. Soft cheeses are quite common, with brie and differing types of goat cheese very popular.
Some of the more common meats to find on your board would be capicola, salami, prosciutto, dry-cured chorizo, mortadella, or ham.
It is common to see bread or hearty crackers on the board or sometimes served alongside the board. They go particularly well with the meats, cheeses, and dips.
You will often find an olive oil complimenting the board, as well as dips like hummus and tzatziki. Mustard is another popular addition.
Apples and grapes are the most common fruit to be found. Dried fruit can also be seen, like apricots and dates.
Almonds are a staple and others that you might see are cashews and pistachios. Depending on the cheeses, there could also be walnuts.
Cucumber, carrots, olives, and pickles are typical veggies to see on a charcuterie board. They should be cut thick enough to not fall apart with a dip.
The idea is that the different components can be layered over one another in a pleasingly colorful pattern–a “beautiful mess” as Julia Child once said.
When you go to build your board, start by layering the cheeses and meats, keeping them apart on the board, with gaps to place all the other foods in place. Fold and shape them into different styles.
Make things like the fruits and veggies engaging, slice up your grapes, cut the apples, maybe display the veggies in a nice jar or put the olives in a small bowl.
Next, add the various dips you are going to use, maybe a sprinkle of nuts across the board and you’ll start to have a really enticing charcuterie board fit for any dinner party.