Why Charcuterie?

Charcuterie boards have made their comeback. No longer is charcuterie confined to just appetizers- the wide variety of proteins and sweet & savory complements allow you to craft a delicious meal for any occasion. The bite-sized morsels of charcuterie are not only perfect for sharing, but also offer a fresh, lighter alternative to the traditional picnic foods such as potato salads and sandwiches that make you ready for a nap shortly after.

If you want to wow your guests, show off your creativity, or play with new flavor pairings, a mini charcuterie board is the perfect picnic partner.

The Board

If you have ever crafted a charcuterie board for an event, you may know the feeling of worry that comes with transporting it. That’s why a mini picnic board crafted inside a portable, lipped tray is the perfect choice. A disposable option made of recyclable material is ideal for these smaller scale picnic boards.

Planning an intimate picnic for two? We recommend using a bamboo board about 12 x 10 inches in size. If you have more than two guests, create a few mini boards with a variety of flavor profiles!

The Meats

Everyone knows the picnic is only as good as the food. So, one of the picnic planning steps is putting together your fare – most importantly, the meat.

Planning the proteins first allows you to build from a specific flavor and texture when choosing your pairings. Don’t know where to begin? Here are some delicious cured meat options we recommend incorporating into your next picnic board:

Prosciutto

Prosciutto is crafted using a Raised Responsibly hind pork leg and sea salt, then is slow aged between 12 and 18 months to produce an earthy, rich, melt-in-your-mouth texture. It pairs well with a mild fontinella or creamy brie cheese and fresh melon. Elevate your board with a prosciutto flower to impress your guests, and don’t forget to finish with your favorite Pinot Grigio.

Felino

The king of salami. Felino gives your board a ruby red pop of color and provides a dazzling flavor, rich with peppercorns and wine. It is delicately spiced and slow-aged to bring out the sweet flavor. Felino pairs perfectly with nutty Parmigiano Reggiano and a light, sparkling red Lambrusco. When serving, we recommend cutting each slice on a bias at about 1/8-inch think. This will help ensure you and your guests enjoy a perfect balance of zesty peppercorn and smooth fat.

Mortadella

A traditional, slow-roasted and uniquely mild Italian sausage sometimes studded with pistachio accents. It is the perfect addition to any picnic platter and pairs well with a sharp Pecorino or cheddar cheese, briny green olives, and sweet figs. Mortadella’s rich flavor makes Chianti wine a perfect complement.

Soppressata

This simple salami comes in both a mild and spicy version, crafted with cracked black peppercorns for a mild taste and crushed Calabrian red pepper flakes for a spicy flavor. Explore a variety of pairing options with a creamy goat cheese spread, coarse ground mustard, and toasted bread. Show off your salami by folding each slice into quarters and fan them out like a deck of cards for an effortless arrangement.

Bresaola

A unique, lesser-known charcuterie gem, Bresaola is made from lean beef instead of pork. Often referred to as “Beef Prosciutto,” it differs from traditional prosciutto because Bresaola uses warm, aromatic spices that accentuate the taste of the lean beef. It pairs perfectly with a crusty bread and classic cheese such as aged Parmigiano. For wine pairings, Bresaola works well with bubbles, full-bodied whites, and robust reds. 

Seasonal “Extras”

A picnic board is not complete without dressing it up with seasonal, flavorful accompaniments. Customizing your board with fruits, nuts, olives, dips, and crackers or bread simply adds the finishing touches to a delicious and creative picnic board. 

During spring or summer, add in fresh sliced melon, crisp greens, a mini jar of sweet honey, and a few acidic gherkins or marinated olives to your board. 

Spice up your fall picnic board flavors with candied pecans or walnuts, toasted pumpkin seeds, dried figs or cranberries, and finish with a crisp fall ale or cider. 

Preparation & Assembly

The slicing of the chosen meats is just as important as the flavor combos on your board. Prosciutto and bresaola should be cut paper thin, while mortadella and soppressata can be cut more to a medium thickness. Felino, on the other hand, should always be cut at an angle and about 1/8-inch thick to deliver the perfect fat and peppercorn ratio. If you are slicing the meat yourself, we recommend slicing them while still cold to ensure the fat does not smear.

It can be tricky to determine portion sizes when serving a non-traditional meal such as a charcuterie board, but we recommend preparing approximately two ounces of meat per guest. Our available pre-sliced options range from 1.5 to 6-ounce packages, making it easy to determine how much you’ll need.

If it happens to rain on your picnic parade and you must move the fun inside, we recommend leaving the meat out for about 30 minutes prior to serving to allow the full flavors to shine through.

When it comes to the arrangement of your charcuterie, there are no “rules”. This is your chance to get creative! We recommend mixing up the colors, textures, and flavors and try using different folds and shapes to arrange your meats. Scatter those “seasonal extras” to fill in space and add pops of color.

Conclusion

There’s no “right” or “wrong” way to picnic – that’s what is so great about it. Picnicking is all about bringing together your favorite foods, friends and family, and the perfect spot to create unforgettable memories.

No matter how simple or elaborate your next picnic occasion is, bring along a mini charcuterie board to delight your guests with a delicious variety of flavors.

1) Pantry Pasta

This is the most popular reason cooking connoisseurs choose to use Guanciale. When you feel the craving to enjoy a hearty plate of pasta, it helps to have an ingredient that is capable of incorporating rich flavor.

Guanciale is commonly used in pasta dishes like Carbonara and Amatriciana, by rendering the fat and stirring in salty Pecorino or acidic crushed tomatoes to create a delicious balanced dish. 

2) Flavorful Oil

This is not like your bacon fat can of childhood. Like we just mentioned, rendering out Guanciale in a pan allows its unique oil to start to infusing flavor. Well, if you’ve ever fried your own bacon, you know that there is something magical about cooking other ingredients in the residual oil that’s left after. A bagel lightly browned up in that oil is the reason some people make it out of bed on the weekends.

Guanciale is no different, in fact, it brings unique tastes to the table that you can’t find anywhere else. Consider toasting up some fresh bread to enjoy alongside the delicious Guanciale you just cooked up.

3) Late Night Fried Rice

Not all foods satiate our late-night cravings equally. Homemade fried rice is perfect for when you come home with a burning hunger and have just your basic kitchen staples on hand.  

Combine day-old rice, vegetables, and protein that you enjoy in your comfort food. If you want to elevate your experience, consider swapping in rich, flavorful Guanciale. Try out our recipe for Guanciale Fried Rice and see how the taste of the dish takes a new direction. You’re only 20 minutes from satisfying every late-night craving.

4) A Rainy Day

Some days are meant for taking on every errand, social appointment, and to-do list. However, sometimes you have enough free time to try out something you’ve been meaning to for a long time.

Cooking with Guanciale and other high quality salumi is a great way to spend a rainy day flexing your growing culinary mastery. Their flavor profiles are exquisite but need some care when incorporating them with other ingredients. Try out some of our unique recipes like this one for Tea Smoked Duck Breasts and Guanciale. Challenge yourself to use new ingredients while you have the time to learn.

5) Ramen Night

Despite the images of dorm room microwave nightmares that it typically conjures for the uninitiated, ramen is a high-quality meal that can be enjoyed on any occasion. When prepared with the proper care, ramen can outshine many household favorites.

One aspect of ramen that affords it such praise is its versatility. Most broths, proteins, veggies, and toppings can be mixed and matched to completely change the flavor of any given bowl. Unsurprisingly, when you add rendered Guanciale to the mix, it blends with the broth to create a deep pork flavor. Don’t believe us? Try out what we consider to be simply The Best Shio Ramen and tell us what you think.

6) Brunch

Is there anything better than sleeping in, inviting friends over, and enjoying a meal with foods you never really enjoy at any normal meal? Funny enough, there is. Take that entire process and add decadent cured meats to the lineup.

Brunch has quickly become a cultural phenomenon here in the US and crowds of people find time to break out the best for themselves and their guests. We are Brunch enthusiasts, and we encourage you to bring something new and exciting to your next mimosa laden meal. A great suggestion is our own take on a Sweet and Savory Waffle that makes great use of Guanciale. Don’t let yourself miss the opportunity to make your next brunch the best one yet.

7) As a Reward

Obviously, we love to think of meats like Guanciale as an everyday staple, something that drops in some joy in spurts throughout the week. But it’s also nice to savor the finer things in life. One way to make sure that you don’t overdo it is to treat them like a reward after a hard day’s work.

It only takes a small amount to deliver a deep flavor that’s seasoned with vibrant pepperoncini fragrance and other spices. Consider rendering out some cubed Guanciale and topping your final salad of the week with it to provide a nice guilty pleasure with a healthy meal.

If you’re looking for a good snack fix for your cured meat cravings, check out our Roltini Singles and Small Bites, products made for that very purpose.

8) For when wine is necessary

We’re likely all familiar with the pleasure of enjoying one or two glasses of our favorite wine with a nice meal. But, there are also those times when we simply feel like enjoying a glass on it’s own. Wine was meant to be enjoyed with other high-quality artisan goods. There are a multitude of items that can elevate your wine experience, but salumi like Guanciale do this especially well.

While you won’t find anyone typically enjoying a simple slice of Guanciale with their wine, it can be wonderful to combine with your favorite snack recipes for pairings that complement each other. As for what wine to try out with Guanciale, a solid recommendation is a sparkling wine like a Spumanti, Prosecco, or classic Champagne if the mood suits you.

Conclusion

Whatever your reason for stocking the fridge with some quality cured pork jowl, it’s great to remember that these ingredients are part of a long and storied tradition of culinary innovation. Multi-generational artisans prepare these meats in small batches, with techniques that ensure a worthwhile experience and an unmatchable taste. So, embrace that tradition and look forward to the many reasons you’ll find to keep Guanciale around.

Sweet

For those looking to satisfy their sweet tooth, there are ways to incorporate fruits or sweet spreads when pairing cheese and meats. Many kinds of cheese have a slightly sweet flavor and pairing them with fruits draws out their subtle sweetness. When using the stronger, more pungent flavors of parmesan or blue cheese, figs are the perfect compliment. They are at their peak ripeness between June and July and are great for summer charcuterie boards.

For richer, buttery cheeses like gouda and cheddar cheese, dried apricots offer a mild sweetness. Salty feta pairs well with sweet pears and ripe cantaloupe is perfectly matched with earthy, nutty Prosciutto. 

Other, less widely known pairing options, are jams and honey. You may be wondering how it is possible for such different elements to go so perfectly together? The answer is simple: they are complementary. Many types of cheese lack sugar so the sweetness of the jam helps to bring out other, more subtle flavors. A triple cream brie or smooth goat cheese pairs perfectly with a fig or blackberry jam. 

Honey, on the other hand, pairs well with aged cheeses that have a good amount of nuttiness. Our favorites include Parmigiano-Reggiano, a tangy Cheddar, or any of the alpine cheeses. They pair perfectly with a rich nutty chestnut or buckwheat honey. 

Spicy and Salty

Paprika and cayenne-laden Spanish-style Chorizo is a spicy favorite in the snacking world. A few slices of this zesty meat pairs perfectly with a round of aged sheep milk La Serena. This creamy melt-in-your-mouth cheese helps to cool the chorizo’s heat, and you’re left with paprika, garlic, and a slight artichoke flavor.

Spanish olives are another great spicy addition to any charcuterie board. Of course, if spice isn’t your jam, there are milder flavor options available. It’s no secret that olives and pickles are the perfect salty addition to the charcuterie meat and cheese flavor. They’re an important component when pairing cheese and meat because the slight sourness of the olives and pickles cleanses your palate so you can enjoy another bite without the lingering taste.

Texture

Taste aside, it’s also important to include a variety of different textures to your charcuterie board. Both cured meat and cheese are softer textures so by adding crunch, it creates a dynamic mixture of taste and texture. 

Cheese and crackers are one of life’s simpler pleasures and they’re also one of the best pairing options for adding a little crunch. When browsing the cracker aisle of your local supermarket, you’ll find countless options. If you’re looking for a cracker with a little more character, we have a few recommendations. Our classic favorites are oat biscuits, water wheels, multigrain crackers, crostinis, and other small toasts. You can also spice things up with flavored crackers that bring a hint of sun-dried tomato, rosemary, or other unique flavors into the mix.

Other great texture options when pairing cheese and meat are nuts. A few interesting combos are pecans with gouda or cashews with blue cheese. We would also recommend our Chianti Salami with almonds.

Other Components You Can Pair

There are other items you can pair with cheese and meat to enhance your flavor experience. You can step outside the box and try some unique pairing combinations with the following:

• Cranberry chutney hits that sweet-savory balance just right. It’s the perfect addition to a winter charcuterie board and pairs best with sharp cheddar. 
• Chocolate seems like the last thing you’d want to pair with cheese, but you’d be surprised! The salty and savory flavor of Parmesan cheese pairs exceptionally well with the depth of flavor in dark chocolate, bringing out fruity, tart notes in the cheese. 
• Pate, also known as meat paste, may not sound the most appetizing but is actually one of the most versatile crowd-pleasers out there! It has a light spreadable consistency and slight garlic flavor that goes great with a variety of cured meats and cheeses. 
• Spicy brown or Dijon mustard pairs wonderfully with salami and aged cheddar. You can enjoy it in its pure form or create a tasty mustard dipping sauce for pretzels and other charcuterie goodies.

3 Quick Tips For Preparing Cheese

The way you prepare your cheese actually has a significant impact on its flavor. We put together a few simple tips that will help you take your snacking game to the next level:

1. Slice the cheeses before serving to ensure easy access for guests.
2. Cut firmer cheeses into ¼ inch slices and softer cheese such as blue cheese into small bites.
3. The overall flavor is impacted when the cheese is cold versus room temperature, so make sure to allow time for the cheese to sit out for about 20-30 minutes before serving.

Conclusion

You are now a step closer to assembling the perfect cheese and charcuterie pairings. It is best to experiment and find a combination that suits your taste preferences. Happy snacking!

A Brief History Of Cured Meats

Evidence of early salt curing can be traced all the way back to ancient civilizations in 3000 BC. This popular technique of preserving meat quickly gained traction in many early empires. Italians first began curing meats in the third century BC, primarily as a means of preserving them for winter, seasons of droughts, or other instances where food was scarce.

While Volpi Foods cannot trace its roots back quite so far, the Volpi family tradition of curing meats dates back more than a hundred years. Founder John Volpi came to the US with little in his pocket beside his family’s centuries-old meat-curing techniques and recipes. From Prosciutto and Genoa Salame to Guanciale and Chorizo, Volpi still prepares meats using natural ingredients and traditional methods: salt and spices combined with slow, carefully controlled air drying. Deliciously satisfying and enjoyable on their own, our cured meats also lend zest to Italian recipes, ranging from pasta and salads to meat and fish entrees.

What To Serve With Volpi Meats

Wondering what to serve to accompany Volpi charcuterie? We have a thoroughly Italian answer for you: vino! If the dizzying array of wines at your local wine purveyor confounds you, joining a wine club is a great way to learn and expand your culinary adventures through wine pairing.

The Volpi family tradition of curing meats dates back more than a hundred years”

Wine And Volpi Charcuterie Pairings

Whether hosting a dinner party or enjoying casual time with friends, charcuterie is always the favorite appetizer. You can build your own charcuterie board based on your taste, or you can choose from one of our prep packs. We provide pre-sliced trios with dry-cured meats whose flavors complement each other.

Now, what’s a charcuterie board without a bottle of rich red wine to accompany it? Volpi cured meats and Italian wines go hand-in-hand. We suggest pairing the following wines with our Trio Packs:

• Chianti
• Dry Rose
• Chardonnay
• Pinot Noir

Wine Clubs Have Great Pairings For Volpi Meats

The best wine clubs offer a wide selection of vino from around the world and provide access to both expert and peer advice as you make your purchases. Many will provide tasting notes for each wine in their collection, which describes wine characteristics such as body, acidity, tannin content, and prominent flavor notes. We encourage you to take the time to read wine reviews from other club members. 

Members often share their favorite food and wine pairings and you’ll be able to gather unexpected ideas. You may never have thought of serving a Vermentino from Sicily with our Heritage Prosciutto, but if you are serving honeydew melon alongside the meat, a fruity white might be the flavor you need. 

Some wine clubs offer sommelier services, which allow you to enjoy curated cases based on your preferences. Typically, these clubs learn about your tastes through an initial questionnaire, then amend their selections based on reviews you provide after tasting the wines you buy. Be sure to keep notes that way you will be able to re-order what you love. Nearly all wine clubs offer a satisfaction guarantee on their wines and will refund the cost of any bottles that do not meet your expectations.

How To Choose Wines To Pair

When pairing Volpi cured meats with Italian wines, you may be overwhelmed by the seemingly endless wine options to choose from. Traditionally, Italians begin their meal with lighter body wines such as prosecco or pinot grigio and move to heavier wines as their dinner progresses. Are you preparing a pasta dish that features Volpi Pancetta? A medium-body, Sangiovese-based wine like Chianti Classico will stand up to the richness of the meat, while also offering plenty of palate-awakening acidities. Move into a full-bodied red like Amarone to complement an entrée of beef braciole stuffed with Volpi Genoa Salame.

If you are not completely confident choosing a wine to serve with your menu, you can view the wine-pairing suggestions we offer for each Volpi product on our website. Our can’t-miss combinations are the perfect place to start your food and wine pairing journey. And while wine is a complicated subject, remember there are no absolutes in wine pairing—let your own taste be your guide to finding the right wine.