Cheese and crackers counts as dinner right? When it’s a Winter Charcuterie Board Spread like this, I think it qualifies! Who knew there were so many varieties of pears and that there were perfect cheese pairings for each?! This board explores all the flavors, there is something here for everyone. Endless snacking and flavor combinations on this board. There is salty, smokey and sweet. Soft, chewy and crunchy. What is not to love?
The grocery list.
- Bartlett Pears
- Goat Cheese
- Smoked gouda
- Sourdough crackers
- Raisin & Rosemary Crisp Crackers
- Honey
- Persimmons
- Prosciutto
- Brie/camembert Cheese
- Soppressata
- Red D’Anjou Pears
- Feta stuffed green olives
- Water crackers
- Bosc Pears
- Manchego cheese
- Salami
Flavor combinations on a this winter charcuterie board.
December is recognized as National Pear Month and this is the best way to celebrate this seasonal winter fruit.
The green Bartlett pears pair best with the goat cheese and the smoked gouda, raisin crisp crackers and sourdough crackers. The persimmons, smoked gouda and prosciutto pair best together. The Red D’Anjou pears, brie cheese and soppressata pair best together. A lastly, the brown Bosc pears, manchego and salami pair best together.
How to build the perfect board.
First things first, you can use a cutting board, a specific charcuterie board or a serving tray. Depending on the size of your board and crowd, feel free to get creative. In the photos here you can see I used a large serving tray that closely resembles a baking sheet pan. Since I may this assortment for a large crowd, I wanted to stuff every inch with nibbles and the lip on the tray helps keep everything from spilling over.
In addition to the board / tray itself you’ll need a few small dishes or little plates for honey, olives, nuts or dried fruits (if you choose to add!). I like to start by placing down the dishes and cheeses. Then begin to build around those items. When building any board, but specifically this Winter Charcuterie Board Spread, I always try to build my boards with the pairings nearby. I’ve listed the ingredients in order of which they go together.
Picking the perfect cheese.
This all comes down to preference. Here I have specifically choose cheeses that pair well with the respective pear but that doesn’t mean you can’t create your own. Typically, I have 3-4 different cheeses on any given board. I like a soft cheese, like brie or camembert. A hard cheese, like manchego. And lastly, a soft more spreadable cheese like goat cheese. Not only are the textures varying but the flavor profiles are vastly different. The brie is very mild in flavor and creamy while the manchego is rich and salty and the goat cheese is tart and earthy.
Looking for more simple seasonal recipes for this holiday season?
Here are a few to try:
UPSIDE-DOWN PEAR PANCAKE WITH CARDAMOM CARAMEL
EASY CANNOLI DIP WITH WAFFLE CONES
Lastly, if you make this Winter Charcuterie Board Spread recipe, be sure to leave a comment! Above all, I love to hear from ya’ll and do my best to respond to every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of your dayyyummm good recreations is my favorite!
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Ingredients
- Bartlett Pears
- Goat Cheese
- Smoked gouda
- Sourdough crackers
- Raisin & Rosemary Crisp Crackers
- Honey
- Persimmons
- Prosciutto
- Brie/camembert Cheese
- Soppressata
- Red D’Anjou Pears
- Feta stuffed green olives
- Water crackers
- Bosc Pears
- Manchego cheese
- Salami
Instructions
- Start by selecting your board and small dishes. Place the dishes and cheese on the board, spread out enough to fill with the remaining ingredients.
- Pair the cheese, crackers, fruit and meat as they are meant to be eaten. For this board pair the Bartlett pears with goat cheese and smoked gouda. Add the sourdough crackers and raisin rosemary crackers next to those along with the honey tucked near the goat cheese. Next, line up the persimmons but the smoked gouda and sourdough crackers. Fill in the space with slices of prosciutto.
- Along with the brie, fan the red d'anjou pears and soppressata, green olives and water crackers. Lastly, lay the slices of Bosc pears near the manchego along with additional water crackers and salami.
- Get creative with the layout, have fun and enjoyyyy!