Category: Food & Drink

From chair = meat and cuit = cooked; charcuterie is a branch of cookery that is dedicated to prepared meat products like bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, galatines, ballotines, pȃtés and confit predominantly from but not limited to pork.

However, it is not simply about putting a bunch of deli meats, cheeses and fruits on a platter or board there is an art to it…you want to create contrast between the items in terms of texture and taste. Today we offer some helpful tips so you can properly curate your very on charcuterie board for summer entertaining.

Basic Meats…
1. Rillettes (similar to pȃté but much coarser in texture)
2. Mousse (finely blended meat and liver; very very smooth in texture)
3. Cured Ham (such as jamón ibérico, salami, prosciutto, etc)
4. Sausage (such as mortadella, chorizo, pepperoni, etc)

*Be careful when using smoked meats they can overpower all the other items; limit yourself to one smoked option for your guests! The same applies to cheeses and nuts!

Basic Boards…
When I get together with my best girlfriends, we create charcuterie boards for one another that reflect our tastes and highlight great local products as well as throwing in a few “fancy” or “exotic” items. Personally, I like to add wild game meat that I harvested myself. But, basically boards feature….

1. Pickles & Spreads
2. Cheese & Fruit
3. Vegetables & Citrus
4. Toast & Meat
*Our boards tend to be LOADED!!

Putting It All Together…
-Pair chewy with smooth
-Pair spicy with sweet
-Feature cold and warm
-Estimate about 2 oz of meat and accompaniments per guest

Tried & Tested Recipe…
Meat: Hungarian Salami, Prosciutto, Deer or Goose Pepperoni, Mortadella, Thinly Sliced Turkey, Freybe Herb Pȃté.
Cheese: Brie, Havarti, Gouda, Manchego and Mozzarella.
Antipasti: Black Olives, Garlic Stuffed Green Olives, Pepperoncini, Sundried Tomatoes and Gherkins. 
Spreads: Wholegrain or Dijion Mustard, Fig Jam
Fruit: Dried Apricots, Craisins, Blueberries, Apples, Fresh Grapes
Nuts: Almonds, Cashews or Pistachios
Carbs: Baguette (sliced), Melba Toast, Breadsticks (soft), Breton Crackers

For those looking to experience excellent charcuterie at a restaurant rather than making a board at home we suggest…
Charcut Roast House in Calgary
Sabor in Edmonton

You can bet that Canadians everywhere this week happily sipped on Caesars while celebrating Canada Day!

A Caesar is generally composed of vodka, tomato juice, clam broth, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. It is served over ice in a glass rimmed with celery salt. Traditionally, it is garnished with a stalk of celery a lime wedge. Don’t confuse this tasty concoction with a Bloody Mary (common in the US); what really sets this Canadian refreshment apart is the clam broth.

The Caesar was invented in Calgary, Alberta in 1969 by restaurateur Walter Chell to celebrate the opening of a new restaurant. It has become incredibly popular; so much so that over 350 million Caesars are consumed every year!  Let’s raise a glass to summertime in Canada!

Classic Recipe
1 oz Vodka
1 dash of Hot Sauce
1 dash of Worcestershire Sauce
8 oz Clamato Juice
1 Tbsp Celery Salt
Celery Stick
Lime Wedge

-Wet the rim of a cocktail glass with the lime wedge; set aside for garnish.
-Place celery salt in a small dish, and press the rim of the glass into the salt to coat.
-Add ice to the glass. Pour vodka, Worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce over the ice.
-Top with tomato-clam juice.
*Garnish with lime wedge and celery stick (and straw).
ENJOY!

*To add a little flare, personally I love adding pickled asparagus or a homemade extreme green bean! 

By far the BEST Caesar that I have EVER had was at White Spot. Nat’s Caesar is a signature drink that you MUST ORDER! The garnishes are plentiful (slice of pickle and green olives) and the addition of horseradish and their secret spices take the drink up a notch. In a close second is the Caesar from Cactus Club; complete with their own special Caesar spices including chilli flakes and garnish: borettane onion, bocconcini, vermouth olive and peruvian pepper (at one point it came with a pepperoni stick). How can you not order multiple rounds?!?!?

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY!