Summer is the perfect time to start crafting your charcuterie boards. But did you ever think to build one with the help of your kids? We have teamed up with Columbus Craft Meats to share some tips and recipes that your whole family will enjoy.
Charcuterie for kids tips
- Charcuterie is a great way to encourage your kids to try new foods and flavors in a way that feels familiar to them. It’s upgraded cheese and crackers!
- Start kids with more mild flavors – such as Columbus’ Italian Dry salami and a mild cheddar. You can even use deli meat such as turkey that you know your children already love.
- Kid-friendly fruits such as apples, grapes, and berries add texture, acidic flavor, and a colorful visual interest to a charcuterie board.
- You can use cookie cutters to create fun shapes that kids will enjoy.
- Add something sweet – thin cookies or jams can go well with cheese and meats. In our Perfect Bite recipe series, one of the most popular recipes, which we call “The Unexpected,” uses a chocolate peanut butter cup.
- Explain to kids how different flavors and textures can add up to one individual, perfect bite. Show them how to balance savory, creamy, sweet, crunchy, and acidic flavors.
- Let kids explore their own favorite combinations – a charcuterie board is fun and can allow children the opportunity to make their own choices.
- Crackers and nuts can be an easy win with kids, and they add a crunchy texture. Pita chips and pretzels can be kid-friendly options as well.
Kid-friendly recipes-
At Columbus, we developed a series of recipes to show how a great combination of flavors can unite into a “Perfect Bite” that engages all the tastebuds. Here are two of our Perfect Bite recipes that are particularly kid-friendly to awaken little foodies everywhere!
“THE UNEXPECTED”
Serves 6
At first blush, these five flavors make unlikely board fellows. But as we always remind ourselves: tasting is believing. In The Unexpected, notes of cured pork umami, spice, chocolate, peanuts and apple swirl together like a one-bite mini symphony of flavor and texture. Like the title suggests, this Perfect Charcuterie Bite arrives as a delightful surprise. Paired with our classic Italian Dry Salami, the robust cheddar heightens the creaminess of the peanut butter cup.
Pair the salty-sweet tang of our salami with fresh apple for a crisp, crunchy finish. Spicy and complex, filled with flavors both familiar and surprising, this Bite captures our passion for creative, beautiful charcuterie.
INGREDIENTS
1/3 lb. COLUMBUS® Italian Dry, thinly sliced
6 oz. aged cheddar, broken into small bites
6 large chocolate peanut butter cups
1 apple, sliced
HOW TO ENJOY
1. Break down the cheddar block with a knife into small bite-size pieces.
2. Lay thin slices of Italian Dry within the plated cheddar.
3. Cut the peanut butter cups in halves.
4. Slice the apple into half-moon wedges.
5. Stack the piece of salame with a bite-sized piece of cheddar, wedge of apple and peanut butter cup. Enjoy in one bite.
“PARISIAN PICNIC”
Serves 6
Summery, buttery flavors run through this Bite like a fresh spring through your favorite picnic spot. The mild sweetness of our Rosette De Lyon Salami paired with mimolette builds a warm, slow-aged deliciousness. Paired with the subtle tang of fresh blueberries, this Bite just might evoke the classic cheese and meat shops of Europe’s most romantic city. We hope Parisian Picnic inspires you to create new epicurean experiences of your own – the kind you can enjoy the next beautiful day that comes your way.
INGREDIENTS
1/3 lb. COLUMBUS® Rosette De Lyon Salami, thinly sliced
6 oz. wedge of mimolette or aged gouda, chunked into small bites
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
HOW TO ENJOY
1. Lay the Rosette De Lyon slices out flat and allow to sit at room temperature.
2. Break down the mimolette wedge with a knife into small bite-size pieces.
3. Pat dry blueberries and place within the plate beside the mimolette and Rosette.
4. Place a blueberry and chunk of mimolette cheese on top of the Rosette. Enjoy in one bite.
