Charcuterie boards have been all the rage recently, especially the ones that look like art pieces! From the food selection to its placement on the board, even the shape of the board itself, a lot of thought goes behind every move to make the board as aesthetically pleasing as possible. We have teamed up with charcuterie board master, Elle Mawardi, of Beauty & The Board (@beautyandtheboard) to teach us how to curate the perfect charcuterie board.

Welcome to BOARDing school!

Step 1: Cheese

Getting started might seem the most daunting, but the first step is quite simple! Be sure to fill at least two of the corners of your board with cheese, this helps remove the negative space and gives you a place to start your curation process. Elle suggests using one soft cheese such as brie alongside one harder cheese such as sharp cheddar or manchego.

Pro tip: Use bowls or jars for dips such as honey and mustard to help add height and dimension to the board.

Step 2: Meat

Not only is using meat a delicious delight but also helps structure the board going forward. Elle suggests creating a border around the physical board with one of your meat choices. Although there are many cold-cut and meat selections out there, soppressata and prosciutto are charcuterie board musts!

Step 3: Meat x2 and Fruit

Now it’s time to use the remaining meat to fill in the surrounding border on the board. In addition to meats, dried apricots are great to use for this step as they create a tight border. These healthy, yet candy-like dried fruits are the perfect sugary snack to add to the board. For a vegetarian option, meat can be easily substituted for crackers and bread. Follow the same steps around the border if doing so!

Step 4: Fill Interior

Now that the board is well structured, it’s time to fill the remaining interior space. Sporadically fill the inside of the board with fruits, nuts and veggies. Use small handfuls to divide them, the more color variety, the better! Cornichons pickles and olives add a great pop of green; figs, pomegranates and dried cranberries add a variety of deep red; and nuts are delicious and nutritious addition!

Step 5: Serve and Indulge

After following Elle's both eye-catching and useful tips, your board should be complete! Whether you plan to eat the board yourself or host some friends, a charcuterie board is a perfect way to indulge in delicious snacks and show off your new skills! Each board is intended to feed 4-6 people as a snack portion.

Now it's time to pair this board with a glass of wine and great company for the recipe of a perfect evening!