As we all settle in for a long winter, the holidays just aren’t the same this year. Most of us will not get to spend the winter holidays with our loved ones thanks to rona. But this does not mean that we can’t celebrate Christmas and winter with beautiful creations like these gorgeous charcuterie wreaths. As a self professed bougie b*tch, this is right up my alley. I already have my own charcuterie board. Ok so it’s actually an acacia chopping board that I use as a charcuterie board but whatever. A new craze this year is making these intricate but easy festive charcutewreaths. They can be eaten by singles or shared between couples who don’t have to schlep to their parents’ house this year to eat themselves into a coma and make small talk with relatives and neighbors.
The charcutewreath craze was seemingly inspired by Cynthia Baysinger of A Modern Brie in Gilbert, Arizona. Baysinger started A Modern Brie in 2020 after spending the last four years creating charcuterie boards and wreaths for fun. Below are a few tips Baysinger gave people to create your own charcutewreath:
This is the original charcutewreath that many people have emulated. Baysinger has been making boards for fun since 2016 and started her business in 2020. She got the idea for the wreath design after her sister suggested it. “I had never seen anything like it before, and so I started creating,” she explains. For this board, Baysinger used brie, Truffle Tremor, cheddar, and blue cheese. The meats include salami and prosciutto. The small bowls have fig jam and honeycomb. She also added star cookies “to give it some extra holiday flare.” All the ingredients are creatively layered around the edge of a round wood cheese board ($35, Amazon).
Baysinger says it isn’t hard to create a charcutewreath. She recommends starting with fresh greenery around the base, like rosemary or eucalyptus, and just arranging whatever you’d like in a circle. “I think the possibilities are endless when it comes to these wreaths,” she adds. Here are a few other beautiful options for inspiration on making your own charcutewreath. (To share with those in your household, of course.)
Here are a few of my favorite charcutewreaths that I found on Instagram. I would eat these with mineral water, frozen berries, and fresh squeezed lime juice or sparkling apple cider.
This charcutewreath created by Cynthia Baysinger for A Modern Brie, was the inspiration for the entire trend and it looks absolutely delicious. Baysinger says she used five different cheeses, fig jam, honeycomb, salami and prosciutto. I can definitely attest to the deliciousness that is the sweetness of fig jam mixed with the sharpness of cheddar and the buttery-ness of salami. That combo makes up my favorite winter flavors. Throw in some chianti and I would be happy as a clam at the beach.
This wreath was created by Grateboards in Seattle, Washington. Though the colors and the candy cane shape of this charcutewreath is Christmas-themed, I personally think it would be perfect as a summer treat. Strawberries and raspberries are better enjoyed in the summer sitting on a picnic blanket near the ocean or in a field somewhere. I’d just replace the cranberries with cherries.
This mini charcutewreath was shared by adventuresof_aa on Instagram. It is perfect for us single girls who are finding ourselves home alone. I love the mix of fresh figs, which are difficult to come by during colder climes, spicy salami and prosciutto. I even like the mix of berries and itty bitty pickles served with a side of what looks like fig jam and cocktail crackers. The green olives will definitely provide the saltiness needed to balance out the sweetness of the figs.
This charcutewreath was created by Saratoga Grazing Co. It is giving me serious Italian vibes. From the dried apricots to the salami rosettes, pistachios, dried persimmons, juicy blackberries and grapes, the wreath reminds me of the two years I lived in Sicily. The combination is very Mediterranean and common faire on a Sicilian dinner table. Of course without the decorative elements. Despite this wreath’s autumnal vibes, I think it would be a great snack while curled up on a sofa in front of a fireplace watching your favorite Christmas movie or reading a good book.
Honorable mention to this wreath by The Taste of Okanagan.
Are you going to try your hand at making your own charcutewreath? If so, make sure to tag us on Instagram or Twitter.
I have been daydreaming about making an epic charcuterie board next week. Thanks for the inspiration! Granted, my toddler destroys everything, but the candy-cane one especially seems very doable and easy to maintain, lol.
I was going to make hot cocoa bombs, but this looks way more appealing right now. Hot cocoa bombs will have to be made for Valentine’s Day.
Tell me about hot cocoa bombs please.
They are the newest rage ( I found out through friends). Spheres of chocolate filled with cocoa mix and marshmallows. Place in a mug and pour hot milk or coffee or water (latter two sound gross to me) and the hot liquid melts the chocolate and the rest of the inside ingredients pop out. they have all different types of flavorings too. You Tube “Sugar Geek Show” has a tutorial. It’s multi steps but it looks like a fun gift to make,
@Seraphina, YUM. thanks so much, I’m definitely going to check them out.
You are welcome. I could not find the correct diameter molds. Make sure to measure the mugs for the diameter you will need.
I’m making these for some people too. Glad others know about them!
I can’t begin to say how happy this makes me, thank you SO much for bringing it into my life. I’ve sent this story to my BFF and followed the hashtag on IG. Now to start planning my festive charcutewreaths (also possibly my word of the year).
Thank you!
Stunning!
They look so yummy! I would feel guilty to eat them because the look so beautiful.
These boards look really great. Our family loves having these tasty platters to share. Of course, we always overdo it, and by the time we get down to the meal itself, everyone is already pretty full from the sharing platters. We don’t have “dessert” very often; a massive platter of fresh fruit is our favourite. We are lucky it’s Summer here, as it’s the time for all the beautiful Summer fruits – cherries, mangoes, peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums. We’ve always got melons, pears, apples, and oranges, kiwi fruit, bananas and pineapples. Grapes are a bit pricey right now, as many growers lost their vines in last Summer’s bushfires. But a fruit platter is not complete without some grapes.
What are hot cocoa bombs? And these are all beautiful!!
They are blowing up pinterest right now – seem like a fun stuck-at-home-can’t-go-anywhere type craft. That you get to eat! (well, drink).
https://sugargeekshow.com/recipe/shiny-chocolate-bombs-with-marshmallows/
I would skip the wreath imagery all together, but man do those pictures make me want a good charcuterie board. Cheese and meat, throw in some nuts.
Pour the wine!!
A famous New Orleans restaurant, Commander’s Palace, has been doing virtual wine and cheese parties, where you pick up that week’s cheese/wine/etc then there is a party (Dressing up is optional) where they talk about the wine and cheese. And of course there is a band.
This post makes me want to participate in that.
Love these pictures! Thanks for posting this. Saw a similar idea for a hot cocoa charcuterie board. Hot cocoa mixes, candy cane sticks, marshmallows, chocolate chips, other candies, small cookies, and basically a bunch of stuff for kids to make a kick ass hot cocoa. Or adults too. Anything to add a little smile for a low key holiday dinner, or movie night. Love it.
This post gave me life! I could not pull one of these artistically charcutewreath’s off, but I love looking at what others have created. This post felt like the palate cleanser I needed.
Having never heard of a charcuterie wreath, my first thought was “won’t the neighborhood dogs and coyotes eat it?” (Assuming it hung on the front door)
Now that I know what they are I will be stopping by my favorite deli and picking up charcuterie so I can eat it all before getting it into any type of wreath shape.
These are wonderful! I was looking for some great gift ideas.