boards continued

Welcome to my second blog post about boards. I am excited to share with you how to make a board for any occasion, from brunch to dessert! I threw a lot of information at you all in the last post, but I hope covering cheese families will help you discover all the different types of cheeses out there. I love trying new things and creating new flavor pairings, and I hope you will too.

Last week we covered the traditional charcuterie boards. Now we are going to expand on that to create other boards. The concept is the same. I like to add a variety of cheeses, fruits, nuts, and vegetables to the board, but the fun part is creating a theme and flavor profile.

Brunch Boards

Brunch boards are a fun way to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and other special events such as mother and father’s day. They are simple to put together in the morning and with a little pre-planning you can throw it together in less than 30 minutes, make a few mimosas and you will be ready to celebrate! Here are some examples of brunch boards that I have made.

The Bagel Board; mini bagels, crispy cooked bacon, smoked salmon (or if you have time, grilled ahi,) boiled eggs, marinated sweet peppers, small apples, blueberries, strawberries avocado, tomatoes, capers, various flavors of cream cheese – try to use a mix of savory and sweet like garden veggie and pineapple. Use lemons, dill, and arugula to fill in any empty spots on your board.

The Savory Waffle Board; homemade or store-bought waffles, boiled eggs, sharp white cheddar, feta with olive oil and pepper, brie, prosciutto, nectarines, honey whipped cream cheese, creamy garlic and fine herb Boursin cheese, bagel thins. I then finish it off with sliced apples (or small whole apples if you can find them,) pistachios, and chives.

The Classic Braising Board; brie, smoked gouda, Australian extra sharp cheddar, goat cheese, smoked salmon spread, marinated mozzarella, boiled eggs, grapes, apples, blueberries, blackberries, dried cranberries and apricots, toasted macadamia nuts, smoked almonds and pecans, lox, strawberry jam, and honey. For this board I added bagel chips, raisin bread, and a baguette to make it filling enough for a meal.

Telly’s Tips: I like to add a variety of grapes and apples to my boards. Some of my favorite apples are Pink Lady, Cosmic Crisp, Lucy Rose, and Lucy Glo, Rockit Miniature Apples. Some of my favorite grapes are Cotton Candy, Moon Drop, and Concord. Some of these varieties are seasonal so look out for them at your local grocery store. I have found that many chain grocery stores have expanded their fruit offerings, use the list of seasonal fruits from my previous post to know what season to look for more than the usual green grape and red apple!

Dinner Boards

Dinner boards are a great way to use up leftovers or you can create a board full of grilled vegetables or even sandwiches!

The Pre Made Sandwich Board; roast beef with baby kale and pesto mozzarella and turkey with fried onions and deli American cheese sandwiches on homemade or store-bought bread, hummus, carrots, radishes, snap peas, mint yogurt sauce, mini pepper, plums, apples, peanut butter dip, and assorted nuts.

The DIY Sandwich Board; tuna/crab/chicken salad, pepperoni, salami, radishes, avocados, lettuce, carrots, celery, apples, provolone, Munster cheese, gherkins, ranch/dill yogurt dip. Serve with assorted rolls and breads!

The Grill Board; grilled meat or meat substitute, grilled halloumi, grilled vegetables like bell peppers, zucchini, summer squash and eggplant, artichoke hearts, pistachios, hummus, feta with olive oil, fresh bell peppers, radishes, olives, almonds, pepperoncini, pita or flatbread, and roasted garlic.

The BBQ Board; barbequed flank steak, grilled shrimp kabobs, corn/bell pepper/zucchini/summer squash/ kabobs, cornbread muffin, baked bean, and potato salad.

The Appetizer Board; chips, crackers, ranch dip, salsa, guacamole, spinach artichoke dip or a variety of dips from your local grocery store or Trader Joe’s, potato skins, bratwurst or smoked sausage with whole grain mustard, assorted bone-in or boneless chicken wing and a variety of flavors like teriyaki, buffalo, lemon pepper and garlic parmesan. You can add raw vegetables like carrots, celery, broccoli, mini bell pepper, and cherry tomatoes.

The Dessert Board

This had to be one of the most adventurous boards I have made to-date! Pick and flavor or flavors and have fun! Here are some ideas for a dessert board; unfrosted chocolate, vanilla or pound cakes, chocolate hummus, Nutella, cherries, strawberries, blackberries, English toffee, chocolate, and yogurt covered pretzels, mini peanut butter cups, hazelnut chocolates, dried figs, and apricots, and assorted cookies. One of the best things about this board is that you can add any dessert food you like to it, like brownies, caramels, fudge, or blondies; it is really up to you!

Closing Thoughts

Thank you so much for reading part two! I hope this helps you create many different types of boards, and when you do please post them on my Facebook and Instagram. I would love to see them! Remember, food should be fun to make, pleasant to look at, and most importantly, delicious. Next week I will be teaching you how to make the easiest weeknight sheet pan dinners with just a few ingredients you likely already have!

Grain Bowls

Charcuterie Boards