Somewhere along the way, we collectively decided that any food placed on a wooden board is now called “charcuterie.” Tacos on a board? Taco charcuterie. Brownies and marshmallows? Dessert charcuterie. Bagels? Breakfast charcuterie. I once even saw pasta enter the chat, which felt like a moment that deserved a gentle pause and a deep breath.
Here’s the friendly reminder part: charcuterie, at its heart, is cured meat. That’s the origin story. Salami. Prosciutto. Soppressata. Meats transformed by salt, time, and a bit of magic. Cheese is a welcome co-star. Olives are happy to tag along. Crackers help everything make sense. It’s a beautiful, delicious system.
That said, putting food on a board doesn’t automatically make it charcuterie — it just makes it a very attractive way to serve food. A taco board is a taco spread. A dessert board is a dessert platter. A bagel board is… well, a really great bagel situation. And honestly? All of them are excellent ideas. No food is in trouble here.
Somehow, “charcuterie” has become the culinary equivalent of a really good buzzword — flattering, flexible, and eager to be included. But when everything is charcuterie, the actual cured meats start to feel like they’ve been invited to every party, even the ones where s’mores are involved.
So by all means: put food on boards. Have fun with it. Take photos from seventeen angles. Enjoy every bite. Just maybe let charcuterie be charcuterie — and let everything else shine under its own perfectly good name.
If you’re heading into game weekend and want something a little lighter than the usual deep-fried spiral we all lovingly accept, here are some boards I’ve made over the years. Use them as inspiration and build your own masterpiece with your favourite meats, cheeses, honey, jam, and crackers. The cured meats will thank you.
