SACO, Maine — Even more than a full meal, I think I speak for many of us when I say there is something special about a charcuterie board. You can pick and choose exactly what you want, and each bite can be a little bit different. It's kind of perfect.
Luckily, charcuterie boards were invented by the French, so we went to Charcutemarie in Saco to learn the art of the board. What a cute name, right? Wait until you find out the owner's first name. Any guesses?
I went to Saco and met with Marie and her sister. The pair work together to assemble countless boards on a daily basis. Marie said the French invented charcuterie to preserve meats so they would not spoil. It is not technically a charcuterie board if there is not preserved meat on the board.
She had an assortment of three French cheeses to use, as well.
Les trois fromages
The first cheese was Camembert, which is similar to Brie. It's more specific to France than Brie and needs to be made in a certain area of Normandy. This is similar to how Champagne needs to be made in Champagne, France.
The second cheese was Comté, which is a cow's milk cheese and is similar to gruyere.
Last but certainly not least was the Roquefort. It is a soft blue cheese, which is known as the mother of blue cheeses, and it was reportedly favored by kings and queens.
If you want to impress your guests or even just yourself with the board assembly, try making a rose out of the sliced salami.
Start by folding each piece in half and then folding it into a tight spiral. Then each piece wraps around the last until you have a rose. Easy, right? Well, it definitely sounds easier than it is. Marie's was much better looking than mine, so I let her take over.
What I was really curious about was how to assemble a charcuterie board and not just pile "stuff on a plate." Every time I have ever tried to make a board, it never looks quite right, but I couldn't figure out why. If you want to elevate beyond just an assorted plate of cheeses, meats, and an apple on a plate, here are a few tips to take the board up a notch.
Marie said there is a method to the madness: It's an art. It's not Comté on a plate. It's a Comté waterfall, a salami rose, prosciutto ribbons, etc. Those little touches really turn it into a work of art that feels special.
It's also about the different colors on the plate. Marie said she spreads the colors out over the board so it's a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. Fruits and edible flowers help make the board really pop.
Time to dig in!
But wait, the wine!
If you want to pair all of these cheeses with a little bit of wine, why not?
I got some help from the lovely people at Old Port Wine Merchants in Portland who suggested pairings for each type of cheese. Here's what they had to say.
A rosé pairs well with the Comté because it has fruity apricot notes that pair with the floral notes of the cheese. Rosés are great for summer in general because they're crisp and refreshing. Provence makes some of the best, if not the best, rosés in the world.
The Camembert paired well with a Rhône, which is a soft and fruity red. Rhône's are great in general because they don’t overpower what they're paired with. Camembert isn't a super strong cheese, so they pair well together.
I saved our favorite for last. The Roquefort was paired with a Sauternes, which comes from Bordeaux, another famous region in France. This one was different because it's a dessert wine. It was very sweet, which is why it pairs well with the Roquefort. It cut through the strong flavor of the blue cheese and balanced it out. Even if you don't love a strong blue cheese (which I don't) or a sweet wine (which I don't) you may find that this combination is a winner.
Thank you so much to Marie and everyone at Charcutemarie for showing me the art of the board. It's definitely a lot more difficult than it looks, and there is a lot more skill involved than it may seem from the outside.
And if cheese and wine sound like fun, you can order a board now and get a bottle of wine yourself. Soon you'll be able to do it all in one location. They are opening a cocktail bar in Biddeford that will offer drinks, charcuterie boards, and all of the vibes. Be sure to follow along their journey so you don't miss a beat — or a board.