NEW YEAR CHARCUTERIE BOARD

New Year Charcuterie Board

When family and friends gather at our home for New Year celebrations, one of my favorite things to pull together is a New Year Charcuterie Board – easily customized with cheese, meats, fruits, nuts and crackers. There’s no better way to ring in New Years Eve or have a quiet and relaxed celebration on New Years Day!

New Year Charcuterie Board

LET'S CELEBRATE AULD LANG SYNE!

An end-of-the-year, kick-off-a-new-year celebration should be BIG, and fun, and glorious!  

For my New Year Charcuterie Board, I picked all of our holiday favorites, and lots of bubbly, shimmery and shiny gold and silver accents.  Small mirrored-disco ball lights are not something I typically add to charcuterie boards, but they were perfect for this theme!  A large cheese "clock" counting down to midnight added the little bit extra that makes this board so special!  

New Year's Eve Charcuterie Board

FOR MY NEW YEAR CHARCUTERIE BOARD I USED:

• Cranberry Glazed Holiday Meatballs
• Smash Mallow Toasted Marshmallows with Gold Star Sprinkles
• Ferrero Rocher Hazelnut Milk Chocolates
• Fresh Blackberries
• Fresh Jumbo Shrimp
• Tequila Lime Cocktail Sauce
• Italian Salame
• Stonewall Kitchen Cheddar Asiago Cheese Sticks
• Fresh Blueberries
• Hershey Kisses (silver wrapped)
• Laughing Cow Creamy Cheese Wedges (Swiss, Cheddar Bacon & Garlic & Herb)
• Provolone Cheese (one thick, perfectly round slice)
• Buttercrisp Crackers
• Savory Onion Crackers
• Harvest Wheat Crackers
• Ferrero Rocher Rondnoir (Dark Chocolate & Hazelnut)
• Cheddar Cheese “Stars”
• Swiss Cheese “Stars”
• Creamy Havarti Cheese
• Fresh Blueberries
• Dark Chocolate Salted Caramels
• Rolo Caramel Candies
• Gold Foil Wrapped Milk Chocolate Coins
• Trader Joes Champagne Gummy Candies (Brut & Rose)
• Rainbow Milk Chocolate Nonpareils
• Fresh Red Seedless Grapes

 
GARNISH:

• Fresh Rosemary
• Miniature Mirrored Disco Lights (battery operated)
• Gold & Silver Star Glitter Cupcake Toppers

New Year Charcuterie Board

THE BALL DROP...

For the little ones, I served sparkling apple cider in champagne flutes - they love to be able to toast with us when it's time!  Everyone else loves cold bubbly champagne for New Years - whether we're toasting at midnight, or mixed with fresh fruit juices the next day for New Year Mimosas.  

If you've never tried champagne gummy bears, you're in for a sweet surprise!  I found these tiny champagne-bottle shaped brut and rose gummies at Trader Joes, and they are glorious!

As the night grew darker, the disco-ball lighted New Year Charcuterie Board was absolute fun and perfection!  

New Year Charcuterie Board

NEW YEAR CHARCUTERIE BOARD

When family and friends gather at our home for New Year celebrations, one of my favorite things to pull together is a New Year Charcuterie Board – easily customized with cheese, meats, fruits, nuts and crackers. There’s no better way to ring in New Years Eve or have a quiet and relaxed celebration on New Years Day! 

New Year Charcuterie Board

​INGREDIENTS:
 
FOR MY NEW YEAR CHARCUTERIE BOARD I USED:

• Cranberry Glazed Holiday Meatballs
• Smash Mallow Toasted Marshmallows with Gold Star Sprinkles
• Ferrero Rocher Hazelnut Milk Chocolates
• Fresh Blackberries
• Fresh Jumbo Shrimp
• Tequila Lime Cocktail Sauce
• Italian Salame
• Stonewall Kitchen Cheddar Asiago Cheese Sticks
• Fresh Blueberries
• Hershey Kisses (silver wrapped)
• Laughing Cow Creamy Cheese Wedges (Swiss, Cheddar Bacon & Garlic & Herb)
• Provolone Cheese (one thick, perfectly round slice)
• Buttercrisp Crackers
• Savory Onion Crackers
• Harvest Wheat Crackers
• Ferrero Rocher Rondnoir (Dark Chocolate & Hazelnut)
• Cheddar Cheese “Stars”
• Swiss Cheese “Stars”
• Creamy Havarti Cheese
• Fresh Blueberries
• Dark Chocolate Salted Caramels
• Rolo Caramel Candies
• Gold Foil Wrapped Milk Chocolate Coins
• Trader Joes Champagne Gummy Candies (Brut & Rose)
• Rainbow Milk Chocolate Nonpareils
• Fresh Red Seedless Grapes

 
GARNISH:

• Fresh Rosemary
• Miniature Mirrored Disco Lights (battery operated)
• Gold & Silver Star Glitter Cupcake Toppers

 
The secret of a great charcuterie board is to find fresh flavors and textures that work for you and your friends.  Mix and match your favorite cheeses, meats, fruits, nuts and condiments for something wonderful and unique every time!
 
CHEESE:  a selection of 3 or 4 is the way to go.  One cheese should be soft and creamy; another firm and aged, another flavorful, and another that is seasonal and different.  Some of our favorites include:

• Soft & Creamy:  Chevre Goat Cheeses, Feta Cheese (cubed & marinated)
• Firm & Aged:  Asiago and Manchego (similar to Monterey Jack cheese)
• Seasonal & Different:  Fig Goat Cheese Log, Cranberry Goat Cheese, Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil Semi-Soft Cheese, Cranberry White Cheddar Cheese

 
MEAT:  a selection of 3 Italian sliced deli-meats is the magic number.  Something spicy, something peppery, and something traditional. Some of our favorites include:

• Prosciutto (traditional!)
• Hot Calabrese or Capocolla
• Peppered Salami
• Summer Sausage

 
SPREADABLES:  a selection of 1 or 2 gives you a nice balance.  Something with an edge – and another that is a simple surprise.  Some of my favorites include:

• Traditional Hummus
• Roasted Pine Nut Hummus
• Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

 
NUTS & CHOCOLATES:  you can’t go wrong here at all with a selection of 3.  Something simple and roasted, another spicy, and something sweet – the perfect trifecta of favorites.  Popular choices include:

• Marcona Almonds
• Seasoned Almonds
• Glazed Pecans
• Chocolate Covered Nuts
• Spiced Nuts
• Dark Chocolate pieces or seasonal candies

 
FRUITS & VEGETABLES:  a selection of seasonal fruit and traditional vegies, both fresh and dried, gives you a nice balance and a burst of color.  Some of our winter favorites are:

• Red Seedless Grapes
• Fresh Figs (cut in half)
• Fresh Blackberries
• Dried Apricots
• Cherry Tomatoes or Sweet Cherry Peppers stuffed with Goat cheese
• Marinated Artichokes
• Roasted Red Bell Peppers
• Sun Dried Tomatoes

 
GARNISHES & CONDIMENTS:  a simple selection of 2 or 3 rounds everything out – something sweet and something savory.  Crowd favorites include:

• Italian Olives, Marinated Olives, Feta Cheese Stuffed Olives or Flavored Olive Tapenade (visit your local olive bar and pick up something fresh and colorful)
• Honey
• Whole Grained Dijon Mustard
• Bonne Mamon Intense Fruit Spread or Smucker’s Fruit & Honey Fruit Spread
• Fig Jam
• Baby Dill Pickles
• Fresh Rosemary, whole cranberries, and ripe pomegranates or pomegranate arils make the perfect garnish for a Fall or Winter charcuterie board!

 
CRACKERS & BREAD:  a selection of 3 is the perfect amount – if you don’t have room on your platter, you can place them in a basket next to your board.  Some favorites are:

• Fresh Pita or Naan Bread (I LOVE little tiny Naan Dippers on my boards!)
• Artisanal Crackers or Flatbread (something with seeds and nuts are perfect)
• Buttery Crackers
• Pita Chips
• Breadsticks

 
FAVORITE WINES:  Pick a few of your favorites and you’ve got an instant party!  You can’t go wrong with a red and white, something dry and something sweet:

• A good Pinot Noir
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Moscato
• Zinfandel
• Merlot
• Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc
• For something special, serve with spiced Mulled Wine, Sparkling Cider, or bubbly Champagne!

 
HOW I MADE THIS:

1. Choose a nice solid cutting board or wooden serving tray to create your platter.  Your guests will be serving directly from the board, so be sure to use something sturdy.  You can always add additional platters if you are preparing this for a crowd!
2. Assemble your favorites and place on serving board, starting with the cheese clock and meats.
3. I created the clock face by taking a thick slice of provolone cheese and drawing the clock face on with an edible black food marker.  If your cheese slice isn’t perfectly round, you can use a large 4-inch round cookie cutter to cut a perfect circle of cheese.  I’m not going to lie – this took some time! 
4. I placed a full circle of Laughing Cow Cheese Wedges as a base for the clock, and laid the provolone clock face centered on the top – this allowed guests to pull out individual wedges of cheese during our party.
5. Although I don’t typically serve sliced cheeses on my charcuterie boards, for this themed board I cut sliced swiss, cheddar and havarti into star shapes using a cookie cutter and layered them on the board.
6. The shrimp were placed in a small crock that had been filled with crushed ice in order to keep everything chilled – a smaller crock with homemade cocktail sauce fit right in to keep it chilled as well!
7. The meatballs were a different story – I replaced/refilled a small crock as necessary for food safety.  I had a larger slow cooker on the side with a gazillion HOT meatballs to be scooped up by the dozen. 
8. I added a small string of miniature mirrored disco lights (battery operated) Miniature Mirrored Disco Lights (battery operated) for a New Year’s Eve vibe – very fun!  (I found this at the Target Dollar Spot for $5.00 – score!)
9. Wash and pat the fresh fruit dry; add fresh and dried fruits for color.  If you’re serving fresh apple slices, soak them in Sprite or Seven-Up and pat dry so that they don’t turn brown.
10. If you serve olives or pickles, place them in tiny bowls so that they don’t roll around and flavor other platter ingredients. 
11. Chocolates and candies were added next to fill in any “gaps” on my board.
12. If you don’t have enough room on your platter, place your crackers and bread selection in a basket or on a separate board. 
13. Garnish with lots of fresh green and reds - fresh rosemary, whole cranberries, ripe pomegranates or pomegranate arils – the perfect garnish for a New Year Charcuterie Board!
14. Add holiday toothpicks for serving, cheese knives, small tongs and small spoons next to the board along with appetizer plates and napkins. 
15. Start with small amounts of each item – you can always refresh your platter as time goes by!
    
    

YIELD:  This was the perfect board for 6 – but it serves a crowd!

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