A Whole Lot of Fun and it’s Edible Too!

Did you ever make a gingerbread house as a child? Now, there’s a grownup version: a charcuterie house. This has to be the most fun and creative charcuterie board ever! It could be a log cabin — or a ski chalet — let your imagination run wild and have fun with it! You could also string tiny fairy lights around the board if this is going on a buffet table for a very impressive centrepiece. Cream cheese with herbs and garlic makes a wonderful “snow” drifting off the roof and making a few snowdrifts. Small cheese balls, herbs, nuts, pomegranate seeds . . . have fun . . . just don’t let the dog find it!

To make your own charcuterie house, take inspiration from some of the most creative versions on Instagram and Pinterest. The first step is finding a surface to build your house on. Using a traditional charcuterie board or tray works best. This one is styled on a tray with a wide rim, which allows the whole scene to be covered in grated parmesan “snow.”

Next, build your structure. You can construct the walls from bread sticks, crackers, pretzels, or any other sturdy snack material. Cream cheese, softened at room temperature, makes a good “glue.”

A charcuterie house project is a great way to spend a leisurely winter evening at home, crafting and munching. Or it’s an impressive way to kick off a holiday gathering when you’re having friends over.

Which wine should you pair with your charcuterie house? Here are my top suggestions:

Tessellae Old Vines Grenache Syrah Mourvedre 2021
Côtes Du Roussillon, Midi A.P., France

This rich and full-bodied red wine is bursting with flavours of cherries, dark berries, liquorice, pepper and garrique (those wild herbs that grow in southern France). It has enough personality to stand up to your charcuterie platter; alternately, it will pair very well with barbequed ribs or a rare steak.

Extra Dry • 14.5%  • LCBO# 343517 • $19.95; now $17.95 til Dec. 31st

Disaronno White Velvet Liquor
Italy

Holidays are a time to splurge on special treats, and this one will surely be a hit! You’ll find the traditional candied almonds and vanilla aromas and flavours of the well-known Disaronno Amaretto, with the distinctive addition of fresh cream. Very velvety and luscious, with a delicious lingering finish. It’s a wow!   Serve it over ice after dinner, with your favourite cookies. If you’re looking for a last-minute gift, this is a winner!

Sweet • 17% • LCBO# 17559 • $35.65 • 750ml

If your charcuterie house is part of New Year’s Eve celebrations at home, you’ll want to have some bubbly on hand to ring in 2024. The LCBO has an abundance of bubbly on sale right now, some priced as low as $15.

Louis Bouillot Perle Rare Crémant De Bourgogne 2018
Burgundy A.C., France

This sparkling wine offers all the elegance and refinement of French Champagne, at a fraction of the cost. It’s made using the same traditional method as Champagne, but is labelled Sparkling Wine simply because it is made in Burgundy rather than in the Champagne region. It offers delightful notes of brioche, wild strawberries, pear and citrus zest, with an excellent frothy mousse. This wine gives truly fantastic value. Louis Bouillot makes several sparkling wines at very reasonable prices. You could make it a New Year’s resolution to try each of them during various celebrations in 2024!

Extra dry • 12% • LCBO# 178137 • $22.95

This story originally appeared on bhg.com. Notes and wine pairing added by Jane Staples.

Header image: iStock