How to Make a Charcuterie Board

Featuring the Mastro & San Daniele Cooked Charcuterie Trio

One of the things I miss most about my pre-quarantine life is being able to connect with my husband and share quality time, one-on-one, or with another couple, over food, drink, and belly laughs. Pre-kids, going out for dinner, drinks, or even just a simple charcuterie board on a random stop while walking through the city was one of our favourite things to do. We never really felt the need to schedule a “Date Night”. Again, we were childless, living in a very trendy part of Toronto with endless amazing restaurants and bars, and we made the most of it.

Since having the twins, our love for food and the social bonding experience that comes with it hasn’t lessened, more so the ability to actually go out, never mind go out by ourselves. The value of a true “date night” suddenly became very high; luckily for us we had grandparents who appreciated and encouraged our need for some time to ourselves — and happen to adore their grandbabies. Even if it was only a 2-hour break to enjoy a happy hour sip at our nearby pub, or enjoy some tapas at an under the radar cantina, we looked forward to those times to recharge, reconnect, and -always- get in some belly laughs.

We’re nearly 3 months into C-19 quarantine, and I can’t count the number of times that the two of us have sat down together, without the kids, and enjoyed a meal in anything but exhausted silence, or talking about the kids. Right now, our lives are so hectic, trying to manage the twins, our work, and each other.

Our mealtimes are stressful and rushed, usually throwing together something that is barely passable as a meal that we can cram in our faces while the kids eat their dinner. Typically, after the grand finale of 45min+ bedtime routine, and at least one epic meltdown, it’s usually 8:30 pm and we are sweaty, exhausted, and likely a little grumpy.

Not exactly date night material :/

DIY Date Night Charcuterie Board

I miss our mealtimes together where we could enjoy ourselves, relax, connect, converse, and relish the food and each other’s company.

So, I decided to switch it up. We needed something to look forward to, that was just for us. That wasn’t a box of macaroni and cheese at 9 pm or something that takes an hour to cook but 5 minutes to eat.

It’s time for a Date Night DIY Charcuterie Board (cue the party music). Sweatpants optional 😉

The Mastro & San Daniele Cooked Charcuterie Trio

The star of the show for this board is the Mastro & San Daniele Charcuterie Trio. This one-stop package allows you to create a versatile charcuterie board with 3 different fully cooked meats. The meats used in the trio are:

Mastro Prosciutto Cotto full flavoured yet extra lean and low in fat
San Daniele Mortadella (my husband’s favourite) gently prepared and cooked to savoury perfection
Mastro Capocollo (my favourite) slow-cooked to perfection.

Bonus: All the meats in the Charcuterie Trio are also available on their own if you want to load up on your favourite, or use it for sandwiches and other tasty dishes.

I’ve linked a coupon for you at the bottom to save $1 on your next Mastro + San Daniele purchase!

How to Assemble a Charcuterie Board

The best part about assembling a charcuterie board is that there is no wrong way to do it.

Firstly, I like to start by placing my cheese first, then any dips or snackables that need a dish or ramekins. For this one I’m using three types of cheese, 2 hard 1 soft, jalapeno stuffed olives, and spicy pickled cauliflower – all things we already had at home. The dips I used were: grainy Dijon mustard, lemon hummus, and olive oil + balsamic blend. I put my dips in a tiny trio dish that sits outside of my board to keep the space optimal for more meat.

Next, I placed my hard crackers and chips (I save soft bread for last so it doesn’t dry out or get soggy). After that, it’s time for the MEAAAATTT. I used the Charcuterie Trio, but also added a pack of Mastro Calabrese sausage because I’m a spicy-loving gal.

Then, I added my fruit and nuts – for this I used seedless red grapes and halved walnuts, filling in any holes between cheese and crackers.

Lastly, I topped up anything that looked uneven (a few crackers my kiddos may have snuck while I wasn’t looking) and added freshly sliced baguette (don’t do this until you are ready to serve to maintain maximum freshness) and decided last minute on some sliced pickles for added salty goodness and crunch.

In conclusion, all you need is: