The Art of the Hyperlocal Charcuterie Board

If a full brunch or sit-down dinner feels like too much, too soon after a winter of hibernation, consider gathering around an amped-up charcuterie board built with local meats, cheeses and toppings.

March 12, 2025 | Tralee Pearce | Food

Among the pleasures of living in a place with a thriving local food scene is learning that it’s entirely possible to build a charcuterie board – and hence a lively social gathering – using meats, cheeses, and all the necessary accoutrements sourced from artisan makers within Headwaters.

For instance, the spread created and photographed here by Orangeville recipe developer and photographer Elaine Li, features cured meats from Caledon’s Salumeria il Tagliere, relish from Grand Valley’s Rebecca’s Kitchen, a variety of locally made cheeses from Sheldon Creek Dairy in Loretto, and Orangeville-made finds from Woolwich Dairy and Quality Cheese, including Albert’s Leap, and savoury cheddar shortbread from Orangeville’s Wicked Shortbread.

how to layout charcuterie — Using locally-sourced cheeses, meats and savoury shortbreads, photographer Elaine Li created a charcuterie board pleasing to the eye – and the palate.

Li says her goal here was to start with a variety of cheeses, “Ideally one from each category: soft and semi-soft (brie and goat cheese), semi-firm (havarti), firm (cheddar and Gouda), and hard (asiago).” Then, she says, she collected palate-cleansing fruits and vegetables, and acidic pickles and preserves to cut the richness of the cheeses and meats. Next was the “vehicle” – bread or crackers – and lastly, toppings, including mustards, jellies, tapenade and hummus.

But how to arrange it all? “Start with cheese, meats and bigger fruits, then move on to crackers and breadsticks to fill the gaps before adding other small fixings like pickles, preserves and nuts,” says Veronica Vijay of Grand Valley’s On the Board, a caterer who specializes in charcuterie spreads and who also runs workshops.

When Vijay teaches the art of designing a masterful charcuterie board, she explains that a memorable spread is about much more than high-quality nibbles – it’s about creating a clever layout that keeps your guests coming back for more, even if they’re reaching for the same cheese or slice of salami.

“As a host, you need to strategically place items that pair well together to encourage guests to try different combinations,” says Vijay. “Take brie as an example – a bland cheese. If you placed a wheel of brie in one spot on the board, people tend to grab a slice, find it bland and boring, and never come back for more. However, by separating the brie into different areas of the board, you encourage guests to explore and create their own unique combinations based on the nearby food items such as crackers, jellies and so on.”

charcuterie in a jar — Rustic mason jars make great individual serving samples of “jarcuterie”.

Another pro tip: Think about seating contrasting flavours next to one another, such as a buttery havarti next to a salty pretzel. In her spread at right, Li rolled a creamy goat cheese in everything-bagel seasoning for crunch and texture too.

If you need to personalize servings for guests with dietary restrictions, or you like the idea of individual servings, consider copying the chic single servings Li created using mason jars, featured above.

You can also label your finds with miniature toothpick markers to help spread the word on which of your finds are local. “Showcasing these can be a great conversation starter, instead of only using mainstream national brand items that everyone is familiar with,” says Li.

— Interviews and photography by Elaine Li

What to sip

Wine or cider pairs well with a charcuterie board. Mimic the combination of cheese and apple or pear with Spirit Tree Estate Cidery’s Draught Cider or Pear Cider for a light, mild board, says owner Thomas Wilson. For a bold, even spicy selection, consider a dry, non-sparking Estate Reserve cider or 10th Anniversary Cider, which, according to Wilson, “has more body and is very sparkling, like champagne.”

Wicked Shortbread’s Keri Parfitt likes to pair her savoury shortbreads with local beer and wine, explaining, “Both our cheddars work really well with brews like GoodLot Farmstead Brewing Company’s Mellow Gold or Farmstead Ale.” And she chooses Mono’s Adamo Estate Winery for pinot noirs and Rieslings to match with her savoury cheddar, sea salt and thyme variety, “while our spicy cheddar is best complemented by their bolder merlots or cabernets.”

Winemaker Vanessa McKean from Adamo Estate Winery agrees. “Wines with food-friendly acidity pair well with charcuterie. A crisp white like Riesling or sauvignon blanc will balance out the salt and fat from the meats and cheeses, and refresh between bites.”