Where Can I Get a Cheese Cracker Platter Central Nj
Just like in fashion, food trends come and go.
Last year was all about wearing denim and drinking milk made from plants. The year before that, fanny packs made a (thankfully) brief comeback, and chefs were fermenting everything.
In 2020, charcuterie boards are having their moment, and they deserve it. Swirls of salty meats, wedges of fresh cheese, crunchy vegetables, dried and fresh fruit, dips, nuts, and pickled things are piled on platters that are almost too pretty to eat.
They also are a lot of work, which is why business is booming for restaurants and cooks that assemble charcuterie boards. From north to south, here are 11 New Jersey spots where you can score a board for your holiday table.
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All Aboard by Jessalyn, Toms River
For Jessalyn Cleaver of Toms River, it was a classic case of "Hey, I might be able to make a business out of this ..."
"I started making the boards because I love to host," she said. "I would always have girls night at my house and holiday parties. I have a long island in my kitchen and would make that a cheese board.
"Friends started asking 'would you make one for me?' '' said Cleaver, who works as a substitute teacher.
This summer, she posted a photo of a board on Instagram, thinking "it will probably go nowhere, but I'll try." Orders poured in, "and it's been a whirlwind since July."
On a busy week, Cleaver will make more than a dozen charcuterie boards. She has three standard sizes – the Date Night feeds two people, Girls Night feeds four to six, and the Crowd Pleaser is for eight to 10 ($35 to $90). Other options include a brunch board topped with baked goods, a dessert option with sweet treats, grazing boxes, and custom boards.
To order: Cleaver delivers for free in Toms River and for a charge within a half hour's drive; 732-606-7443, linktr.ee/allaboardbyjessalyn.
Boarded, Allendale
Private chef Victoria Sandberg isn't into catering. She tried to figure out what she can do that wouldn't be too hectic and would offer food lovers something different. When she happened upon charcuterie boards on Instagram accounts in Australia, she had her answer.
"I didn't see it here," said the Englewood resident.
She began to create boards that neighbors posted on their Instagram accounts. Boom! Her board business exploded. "Last year was my busiest year," she said.
Sandberg tops her boards with only organic fruits and vegetables, grass-fed cheese and primarily imported Italian meats. She makes the hummus and jams from scratch. And she doesn't charge for delivery within a 30-minute drive radius. The boards are all custom-made. "I make them two hours before you get them," Sandberg set. The cost? It starts at $110 and goes up to $600.
To order: stayboarded.com; 201-316-5927.
Brick Farm Market, Hopewell
The seven-year-old Brick Farm Market is real-deal farm-to-table: The market was created as a dedicated retail outlet for Double Brook Farm, a meat and vegetable farm. Neighboring Brick Farm Tavern also serves the farm's fare restaurant-style.
Brick Farm Market offers charcuterie boards that include a mix of the farm's house-cured, pastured meats such as coppa, bresaola, 'nduja, dried chorizo, guanciale and pancetta. The boards also include Genoa salami and soppresatta from Salumeria Biellese, an old-style charcuterie producer in Hackensack that works with farmers in the tri-state area.
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For the holidays, Brick Farm Market is offering a board that serves eight to 10 people and includes cured meats, cheeses, almonds, olives, cornichons, crackers, dried apricots and mustard ($49). Holiday boards are available for pickup only — curbside pickup also is available — and orders must be placed by Dec. 21.
To order:65 E Broad St., Hopewell; 609-466-6500, brickfarmmarket.com.
The Cheese Cave, Red Bank
For nearly a decade, Stephen Catania's Monmouth Street shop has been a place to taste and learn about cheeses from all over the world: pecorino from Tuscany, chèvre from Spain and Humboldt Fog from California among them.
The selections – which also include plant-based mozzarella, cheddar and Brie – are featured on charcuterie boards with an assortment of meats; Catania considers texture, flavor and region when assembling a board.
"Cooked meats, such as pates, terrines and hams; whole muscle meats such as proscuitto, serrano or speck, and salamis that include soppresata, pepperoni, chorizo are incorporated in the selections, offering great versatility," he said. "All of our charcuteries provide tangy pickles, sweet jams, savory mustards and olives, seasonal and dried fruits, nuts, crackers and baguettes to enjoy with the meats."
Boards cost between $10 and $13 per person
To order: 14 Monmouth St.; 732–842-0796, thecheesecave.com.
Farm to Board, Cranford
Always toting intricate charcuterie boards to family gatherings, twin sisters Dana and Danielle Malcolm were known as the "designated appetizer people" to relatives, said Dana. Two years ago, the full-time teachers launched their creative hobby into a full-blown business, Cranford-based Farm to Board, which creates Instagram-worthy charcuterie boards.
"The way the curriculum goes, there isn't too much room for creativity anymore, so this gives us a creative outlet," Dana said.
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The delivery-only business provides charcuterie boards in three sizes, ranging from $100 to $300, to customers within 30 minutes of Cranford. Orders are required at least 48 hours in advance.
Dana said Farm to Board tries to source locally whenever possible, working with farms such as Valley Shepherd Creamery in Long Valley and Homestead Farm in Lambertville.
"We just try to make our boards with as much love and creativity as possible," Dana said.
To order: farmtoboard.com.
Grazing Affair, Medford
April Collison is the founder, owner and graze designer for Grazing Affair.
The Roebling native and Monmouth University graduate moved to Medford Lakes in 2012 with her husband and three young boys and started her company six years later.
She started designing grazing boards for every occasion, from birthday parties to weddings. Her husband, three sons and parents help out.
"My boards started out as 6-foot-long grazes on live-edge wood — with wood from Full Circle Woodworx in Tabernacle — that combined charcuterie and crudités," Collison said. "In April 2019 I moved my business onto Main Street in Medford and officially became brick and mortar.
"Once there, I introduced takeaway grazing boxes while also continuing to design my grazing boards … I also expanded into offering what I call Savor + Swig Workshops on how to design your very own graze."
She's done grazes in New York City for Pinterest, NBC, Vizio and more, and in Philadelphia at weddings and other events and worked with local charities and vendors.
Collison's boards range from $145 for a Laker Graze to $750 for a grazing table. Chocolate flights, cheese flights and meat flights range from $40 to $55, and there are many other options.
"This is what I love and I'm so grateful to be doing it," Collison said.
To order: grazingaffair.com.
The Otterboard, Montgomery
Stephanie Harris of New Brunswick works full time as an account executive for an information technology firm, a career that has nothing to do with food.
But when she's not at work, Harris can be found arranging charcuterie boards and boxes for The Otterboard, a new business that took off like she never expected, even landing her an appearance on "Good Day New York."
"I would always make cheese boards for my family, for events," Harris said. 'Every time I did it, I would say I wish I could make cheese boards for a living."
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This summer, after posting a photo of one of her creations on social media, "immediately someone ordered. I just kept getting orders and orders."
She found a commercial kitchen space in Montgomery, and The Otterboard was born.
Harris offers three general boards: Her 12-inch board feeds four to six people; a 14-inch board serves seven to 10, and a 16-ich board feeds 10 to 12 people ($95 to $150). She also offers boxes ($35 for one to two people, $50 for two to four people) and large trays and custom grazing tables.
To order: 732-672-3576; theotterboard.com.
PlateD by D, Lodi
Dylan Elias's creations go well beyond your typical charcuterie board.
Having a group of friends over for a socially distanced brunch? Consider a board laden with cheeses, deli meats, seasonal fruits, olives, jams, bagels and pastries.
Boards also can be customized. Hosting a baby shower? A wedding? A significant birthday? Make an appointment with Elias and dream away. The boards cost between $55 and $1,200.
One bestselling board is the "Italian" — "'cause it's Jersey," Elias said. "People say 'make it super Italian.' " The board includes stuffed peppers, soppressata, prosciutto ("They want lots of prosciutto," she said), Italian bread and olive bread.
To order: 53 S Main St., Lodi; 201-741-0595, platedbyd.com.
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Sweet & Savory Box, Woodland Park
Tina Figueroa has always had a passion for entertaining. This year, she decided to channel her party-throwing expertise into a new business: Savory & Sweet Box. Just like the name suggests, Figueroa's company offers boxes of sweet and savory charcuterie. The ingredients are bought daily, so they're super fresh when they arrive at your door.
Savory boxes include three to four meats, three to four cheeses, fruits, olives, nuts and spreads ($29 for two people, $59 for four people, $89 for six people and $119 for eight people). The sweet charcuterie boxes have two to three fruits, cookies, candies, pretzels and spreads ($22 for a gift box, $52 for four people, $82 for six people and $112 for eight people). Combination boxes also are available.
Savory & Sweet Box will deliver to your home if you live within an hour of Woodland Park (where it's based) and will set up a custom charcuterie design on your board or table once they're there.
To order: Go to savoryandsweetbox.com to order.
Venue 104, Cranford
The boutique catering company Venue 104 is owned by chef Franco Vitella, who learned how to cook (and assemble a charcuterie board) from his mother. In Italy, his grandfather owned an market and his father owned a restaurant, so he knows a high-quality cured meat when he sees one.
"We think simple is best," Vitella said.
Venue 104's salumeria basket is a mountain of Italian specialties, including prosciutto, soppressata, mortadella, capicola, provolone, Pecorino Romano, pepperoncini, roasted red peppers, pickled eggplant, marinated artichokes, mushrooms, Kalamata olives, focaccia and crostini ($155 to $295). For a smaller option, go for the cheeseboard, which features a selection of imported and domestic cheese wedges, grapes, flatbreads, breads and crackers ($155 to $225).
To order: 104 N. Union Ave., Cranford; 908-272-8368, venue104.com.
Versi Vino, Maple Shade
This new wine bar and restaurant opened this summeras a specialty wine shop at first. Then around Labor Day, the kitchen opened and Versi Vino became a full-functioning business.
Owner Jason Zubris said what makes his wine bar unique are the wine-sampling machines customers can try out post-pandemic.
The restaurant menu is wine friendly, of course, which means charcuterie boards are a key item: One third of the menu is devoted to cheese and charcuterie.
"It's a focus for us because it is a very wine-friendly type of meal," Zubris said. "It's a natural pairing and it lets our chefs be creative."
The restaurant first launched the idea of charcuterie to-go to give people another option for gatherings and events
Guests can choose from five cheeses and five meats when assembling boards of up to 10 pieces ($7 to $50). The boards also come with pickled red onions, grainy mustard, seasonal chutneys and jams, and bread from Dulce Artisanal Pastry in Collingswood.
Alcohol and food are available for order online. .
To order: 461 Route 38, Maple Shade; 856-320-2812, versivino.com.
Where Can I Get a Cheese Cracker Platter Central Nj
Source: https://www.app.com/story/entertainment/arts/2020/12/10/charcuterie-boards-new-jersey/6074107002/