Fancy Boards and Expensive Condiments

Thought you guys might enjoy this article from my favorite journalist.
https://anewscafe.com/2026/08/10/reddin ... ld-retire/

I agree with the author in my own way: if there's no price, I won't buy it.

I do go to NY cheese shops that can be expensive, but all display prices. Jeff?
And I love charcuterie, and will keep serving/eating it!

[Jenise]

I love charcuterie, too, Dale; but where I thought the author of this was being a little too cute or histrionic at points, I can't disagree with her about charcuterie boards per se having become passe.

This might be a regional problem. Here, about 6 - 10 years ago suddenly charcuterie boards were THE thing and every bar in town had someone doing charcuterie classes on Wednesday nights, which led to every 30 year old female not otherwise employed starting her own charcuterie board business. And every single one of them bought the same ingredients at Grocery Outlet. Poor as the quality of those standard ingredients were, many made things worse with illogical and uncomplementary embellishments of candy and wet fresh fruit that seeped into everything else.

So yes, give me a plate of good quality salumi, hams and exquisite cheeses. Add things that also go with wine like olives and artichoke hearts--been a fan all my life and I'll never stop loving all that. But make it a "charcuterie board" and add the kitchen sink? No, I'm out.

Oh, and the shopkeeper who said it's classy to not price things? Leaves me speechless.

I was going to refrain from commenting on the article but....

It's stupid and snappish. Good cheese is sold by weight; the price is always on it. Ditto for jars: does anybody here think that a shopkeeper is going to sell things without someone asking the price first? Shops I go to have a scale and a scanner sitting on a little table for shoppers to use.

Now, are charcuterie boards totally tired and worn out? You betcha. Doesn't mean they aren't still tasty, or occasionally interesting. Anybody wanna complain about roast chickens? They're everywhere, too, and frequently over-salted or cold or swimming in their own condensate.

Pshaw.

But make it a "charcuterie board" and add the kitchen sink? No, I'm out...

Yes, aside from the fact that I don't eat meat, even when people made cheese boards, but added all sorts of crazy out-of-season fruits and sweet things that clashed with wine (for occasions that ostensibly included wine), it was silly. Seemed to become more of a visual art form than a food event. Like photographing plastic food.

Fun article - thanks, Karen. We like to have some sort of "board" out before supper whenever we have friends over so that we have something to munch on with cocktails. A 3-3-3-3 thing would make no sense whatsoever when there are just four of us eating, though. We usually just have a couple of kinds of cheese with crackers or baguette slices and maybe some olives, hummus, or whatever else looked good at the market. We rarely put meat out. I suppose these can't be considered "charcuterie boards", but whatever. We almost never order them in restaurants because they either have meat and cheese that's not very interesting or they're too over-the-top and expensive for what you get.

And no prices displayed at a market? That's ridiculous.

I like charcuterie boards, sort of. If they are put out before a meal, I think many lose their appetite, and when one goes to all the work to put on a dinner, that is not good. If the board is served as a fun and light meal, I find it more appealing. Those pricey condiments can get expensive to do a board; I usually kept mine very simple when used as an appetizer. My husband and I decided to stop serving appetizers as we noticed a decrease in appetites when serving a good meal to a group. I always have a pretty crystal bowl sitting on my granite counter filled with a lightly salted cashew, pistachio nut mix. Everyone loves it, and we noticed that folks would take a few nuts and then stop. It worked well for us, and I love it when someone comes to visit and the first thing they go for is the nut bowl. Sometimes if I have family coming at lunchtime, it is fun to make a simple board with about two or three good cheeses, some great crackers and red grapes, always seems to go over well for me.

I agree that simpler boards are best. I also agree that if you're going to put one out, then it *is* the meal.

I can, however, see putting out more of a snack than a dish of nuts, but a lot depends on knowing your crowd and what kind of fressers they are.

Back in my traveling days, I recall fondly a Boston-based customer of mine who I would go in/out of Back Bay Station to visit. I would always leave a little early on Fridays so that I could visit a charcuterie boards place that was directly opposite the station. They did nice work, always had interesting things to serve, and they did not rigidly follow any plating pattern.

oh yes, the charcuterie board fad was here as well (I think some well intentioned person gave me a gift of a book on how to create - really? you need a book?). But I was just commenting on the dismissal of charcuterie in general. When we have big wine tastings I don't do "boards" but I typically have out 3 kinds of charcuterie (in order of likelihood pate de campagne, PdParma, speck, rilletes, bresaola, smoked duck breast, soppresata) and 3-4 cheeses as well as olives. So all wines can be tasted with food (though there will be a main served with a later flight). Or I take charcuterie on picnics. We don't usually served before an actual dinner party, usually start with lighter hors d'oeuvres.

And in cheese shops the cheese and charcuterie is usually in a case with price marked and you ask for the amount you want to be cut. I've noticed a trend to say $9.50/ quarter pound because it sounds cheaper than $38/lb.

[Jenise]

So about six months ago some guy joined my local foodie Facebook page promoting his new catering business, a mobile charcuterie cart (his description) that he would bring to your party. A well-meaning guy, he thought he had a gold mine of an idea and built the cart himself. It consists of a handwashing station, a bin with individual boards for guests, and 12 about 6" x 6" x 6" hotel bins set into a pretty wood counter with a refer unit underneath hidden behind black cabinetry. Nice work, but I cringed when I first saw it and cringed again when I saw it again in a local for sale ad this morning. It reminded me of this discussion as the 12 bins contained: strawberries, chocolate squares, grapes, sweet pickles, cucumber slices, cheddar cheese squares, colby cheese squares, salami, ham, nuts and one each of two types of crackers--looked like Ritz and Wheat Thins.

That's American snack food, not charcuterie. Breaks my heart that he put so much work and hope into it with such a poor understanding of what 'it' should be.

But apparently he still doesn't know what he doesn't know. He's not just selling the cart, he's selling it as a "profitable business". Price: $2000.

That's a bit of an odd idea but a really odd mix of stuff.

Jenise that is equally sad and hilarious.

Interesting, I still frequently order a salumi or charcuterie platter when I see it. I like the variety and really enjoy country hams like prosciutto and jamon iberico. I wouldn't get one at Chili's, but any decent place.

We did get a new cheese store in town, and one of my peeves about them is they don't have prices on the product. The affinage is impeccable, but a lot of the meats and some of the cheeses are $40 a pound. Ouch!

... some of the cheeses are $40 a pound. Ouch!

I guess it depends on the quality. I'm not paying that much for anything that I will use for cooking. But many of the high-end delicate subtle cheeses for eating are definitely past $40/lb these days, also in Europe.

I like the variety and really enjoy country hams like prosciutto and jamon iberico.

Speaking of country ham/charcuterie..... I periodically order from Benton's. Usually an assortment of country ham slices and bacon. All great stuff, but they also have thin sliced country ham. Due to USDA regulations it says cook before eating. But this is 20 month cured smoked ham and I just put it out next to the speck or proscuitto. Great stuff.

Yes, there are $40 (and more) per pound cheeses where I have no issue paying the going rate.