Revolutionize Brunch With Breakfast Charcuterie Boards
Strictly speaking, a breakfast — or brunch — charcuterie board doesn't exactly meet the criteria because, as Shape points out, traditional charcuterie would refer to a range of cured meats (including but not limited to different types of hams, salamis, pate) and come with add ons like olives, fruit, jams, cheeses, and the carbs we'd need to turn the board into an offer that closely resembles a balanced meal, like crackers (or even chunks of good bread if there is room).
But there is something decadent about serving breakfast favorites on beautiful wooden platter, laid out to look less like a McDonald's Big Breakfast you might scarf, and more like something you would linger over at a five-star restaurant. Like the winter's chart-topping hot chocolate charcuterie boards, there are no concrete rules you need to follow when you're pulling together the breakfast or brunch board of your choice, but there are things you can do to make putting it together as pleasant an experience as sharing it with friends.
Williams-Sonoma has helpfully laid out a list of tips that will guide you in the creation of a stress-free breakfast or brunch board, like making sure you've remembered to present the basics: carbs, sweets, savories, and eggs (hard boiled), and remembering that people eat with their eyes first. You can also consider doing as much of the prep work as possible ahead of time.
Breakfast charcuterie boards can be predominantly sweet or savory
Metro, which points out that the board's contents are presented for you to nibble at instead of inhale, suggests you might want to consider pulling together a pancake board, which would come with all basics you might you might need to put together the perfect pancake breakfast: so think pancakes (or waffles if those tickle your fancy more), toppings like peanut butter, mini chocolate chips, powdered sugar, or pancake-friendly fruit like berries and bananas.
There's always the option of swapping out your carbs for something a bit less dainty, like presenting toast, mini bagels and english muffins and if you're serving a hungry crowd, turning the brunch board into a genuine charcuterie experience by adding the cured meats that originally lent its name to the concept, such as bacon, ham, and sausage. Then fill in the gaps and addd pops of color by using fresh berries, along with small containers of jam, honey, butter, and possibly cream cheese.
If you're going down this route, Shape would like to remind you that meats aren't meant to sit out in room temperature over an extended period of time. So if you're serving a literal breakfast or brunch charcuterie board, remember to keep an eye on your meats so your artfully decorated board doesn't become memorable for all the wrong reasons.