‘Tis the season to be jolly … Come on, you all know the song! It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The weather has officially started to cool down here in Florida and Fresh From Florida citrus is a-plenty. I absolutely love walking into the grocery store and seeing the wide variety of oranges, tangerines and more. The colors are just gorgeous and immediately make me think of charcuterie boards. Grazing boards. Snack boards. Appetizer boards. No matter what you call it, the basics are all the same. You take a board (or even a plate will do!) and fill it with deliciousness for your family and friends to enjoy.
I love making charcuterie boards over the holiday season because the holidays are made for celebrating. Whether it be the football game on TV, the opportunity to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon at home, or entertaining a crowd, a charcuterie board is the perfect way to keep everyone snacking and happy.
What goes on charcuterie boards?
Well, it’s pretty flexible depending on your likes, but there are a few staples:
- Meat
- Cheese
- Crackers
- Fresh fruits – over the holiday season, I recommend Autumn Honey Tangerines. They are in season from Thanksgiving to Christmas and easy to peel, low acid, sweet and are incredible dipped in chocolate 😉
- Fresh veggies – I used celery for that pop of green color, plus I love celery!
- Chocolate – No holiday gathering is complete, in my opinion, without some chocolate
- You can also add nuts for a crunchy option.
- Pickles and/or pickled onions are always yummy too.
On my holiday charcuterie board, I added some cranberries and a pomegranate because they are seasonal and give you that pop of red. Perfect for the season.
When making your holiday charcuterie board, I recommend placing ingredients next to each other that people will want to eat together. For example: meat next to cheese, cheese next to crackers. The fresh fruits and vegetables are always good on their own, so just place them on the board where you need that touch of color. I used the Autumn Honey Tangerine in various places on my board because I love the color! It stands out and looks beautiful next to everything.
I used Autumn Honey Tangerines in a few ways on my grazing board:
- Dipped Autumn Honey Tangerine wedges in white chocolate (sprinkles optional)
- Dipped Autumn Honey Tangerine wedges in dark chocolate
- Autumn Honey Tangerine slices
- Whole peeled Autumn Honey Tangerine dipped in white chocolate (sprinkles optional)
I used Ghirardelli melting chocolate for the dipping. It’s super easy to use and who doesn’t love Ghirardelli??
You can find Autumn Honey Tangerines at your local grocery store from Thanksgiving to Christmas, here locally, I find them at Publix. You will also see them at HEB.
Why we love Autumn Honey Tangerines:
- Amazing flavor
- Deep orange, and late in the season, it moves to almost red. It’s beautiful—especially on those holiday grazing boards 😉
- Since they are easy to peel, almost like a zipper … it keeps your (and the kids’!) hands clean
- Low acidity
- High brix level—which just means they are sweet 🙂
