Charcuterie – enjoying food on the French way
Surely in cooking shows or magazines you have had the opportunity to see food similar to our appetizer, served on a wooden cutting board. Who first thought of that and why did this kind of service drive the world crazy?
In the 15th century, the French had the word for dried meat of the highest quality – Charcuterie. The practice of salting and smoking meat dates back to 6000 years ago, from the time of ancient Rome.
Charcuterie is the culinary art of preparing meat products like bacon, salami, ham, sausage… The person who prepares charcuterie is called Charcutier.
People around the world have been captivated by the contrasts of taste, texture, color… everything that makes charcuterie popular. In addition to meat, you can find cheese, grilled vegetables, fruits, nuts, jam, honey, as well as salty and sweet snacks on a wooden board.
An old dish in a new vesture
It is not uncommon for traditional food to experience a big comeback. Charcuterie was created from the need to preserve food at a time when the refrigerator did not exist. A board filled with delicacies in France today is an invitation to socialize; it is recognized among guests of restaurants and wine bars.
How to design and serve Charcuterie yourself
It all depends on you and your imagination, but also the occasion for which the delicacies are intended. Feel free to try different ways of serving food. Use small bowls with sauces and olives. Serve mini dishes with nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts. And don’t forget – cheese! ☺
His Majesty – cheese
France is not the only country known for cheese production, but it is the most famous for that. It produces the largest number of top quality cheeses. On one occasion, former French President Charles de Gaulle said that it is very difficult to manage a country that has as many as 246 types of cheese ☺
According to some rules, the maximum number of cheeses served for charcuterie is four. Choose one piece, maximum two, from the following types of cheese:
– Choose soft mozzarella, cow’s cheese or bri
– from semi-soft gouda, blue cheese, gorgonzola
– of hard cheddar or parmesan
It is important for cheeses that they are not served directly from the refrigerator, but that they stay at room temperature for a while.
Snacks and homemade flavors that we love
Charcuterie includes everything we love – smoked meat, cheese, snacks. There are practically no rules; whether you add salty biscuits or crackers is entirely up to you. After stacking dried meat, top-quality cheeses and salty snacks, you can color and enrich your apetizer with different ingredients.
You can add figs, grapes or a couple of pomegranate seeds. If you are thinking about homemade food and how it could complete the charcuterie, you will not go wrong if you serve roasted peppers, ajvar, sun-dried tomatoes, cracklings.
French cuisine in your home
French cuisine is considered the forerunner of modern cuisine. Through one of our menus, we tried to evoke a part of their tradition. From our menus, you can choose the one that suits you – whether it is Italian, French or local cuisine, the choice is yours alone.
Our personal chef can help you
In case you are planning a surprise for a dear person or a business lunch, we are here to help you. One of the four personal chefs can come to your home and make it look like a luxury restaurant.
Feel free to call us on +381 66 61 000 16 if you want to get more information and hire a personal chef or send us an email at info@licnikuvar.rs.
