As summer trails off into fall, Michiganders can start to feel a little anxious about the impending cool temperatures and separation from our beloved Great Lakes. We should instead be enjoying the near perfect weather that lingers this time of year. Sun, cool breezes, and mild temperatures make September the perfect month to soak up the natural beauty of West Michigan.
How can you make a beautiful day even better? Add wine of course! And some tasty, (mostly) healthy snacks!
Charcuterie boards are the best. Not only are they a fun, social way to eat, they’re actually the way humans are meant to eat. Gradual grazing is better for digestion versus one large meal eaten quickly. Taking the time to compile flavors to your taste also helps us savor each bite.
We put together this late summer charcuterie board to compliment the flavors in our wines. A good charcuterie board balances sweet and savory, crunchy and smooth, and heavy and light options. Aside from that, any fruits, meats, cheeses, veggies, legumes, spreads and breads can be used.
Here are the ingredients we used:
- Green Olives
- Pickles
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Salami
- Prosciutto
- Toasted Bread Slices
- Fig Goat Cheese
- Honey
- Grapes
- Dried Apricots
- Almonds
- Fig Jam
- Bread Sticks
- Stone Ground Mustard
- Rosemary
Dried fruits and jams are great ways to add a little sweetness to your board. While dried fruit can taste only mildly sweet on its own — when paired with salty prosciutto — the sweetness is much stronger. Prosciutto and fruit has always been a charcuterie staple. Other than dried fruit, you could try pairing it with cantaloupe or pear.
Another wonderful thing about charcuterie boards is that with the variety of flavors, many different wines pair well! If you’re bringing a board to a social event, make sure to bring a few different kinds of wine. You can try making bites to pair with each type!
Spreads like stone ground mustard, honey, jams, or even soft cheeses like the fig goat cheese we used serve as a great base for other toppings.
Charcuterie boards — like wines — are meant to be shared. The key ingredient to a successful board is good company.
Enjoy the last month of warm breezes before fall sets in. We’re pretty excited for fall at Tanglewood. Warm, cozy fall flavors and family-fun activities are coming soon, and… so will something new from our winery!
Let us know what your favorite things to add to charcuterie boards are! Do you have any tips or tricks? Which of our wines is your favorite to pair? Let us know in the comments! Cheers!
