How to Make the Perfect Salumi (Italian Charcuterie) Board for Wine Night on Long Island

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BUILDING A SALUMI (ITALIAN CHARCUTERIE) BOARD FOR LONG ISLAND WINE NIGHTS

Long Island houses the best Italian wineries in New York, making it a hub for wine nights and extravagant salumi (Italian charcuterie) boards. A weekend of sipping reserve-level reds at Castello di Borghese will have everyone plotting their next salumi spread. There are a few basics every wine night host must know before throwing cured meat and cheese on a decorative board.

How to Select the Perfect Italian Salumi for a Salumi (Italian Charcuterie) Board

Every cut of salumi serves as the foundation of a salumi board, complementing the other ingredients. The best salumi (Italian charcuterie) boards have a variety of salty, spicy, and fatty salumi. Different flavor profiles, textures, and cuts of Italian salumi will help add more character and depth to the board. Some of the most popular salumi for salumi (Italian charcuterie) boards include the following: 

• Prosciutto 
• Soppressata 
• Salami 
• Mortadella 
• Capicola

How to Choose the Best Italian Cheeses for a Salumi (Italian Charcuterie) Board

Italian cheese balances the salumi, adding sweet and nutty notes to the board. The Italian cheeses should enhance the flavors of the salumi. Strong salumi cuts pair well with strong cheeses, and soft salumi balances mild cheeses. Cheeses with contrasting textures (crumbly, creamy, dry) and origins (sheep, buffalo, cow) will add even more depth to the board. The best Italian cheeses for salumi (Italian charcuterie) boards include the following:

•  Gorgonzola
•  Pecorino Romano
•  Mozzarella di Bufala
•  Parmigiano-Reggiano
•  Auricchio Provolone

How to Add Balance and Extra Flavors to a Salumi (Italian Charcuterie) Board

The recurring theme of salumi (Italian charcuterie) boards is balance. All the cured meat and cheese needs visual interest and complementary flavors to bring everything full circle. Fruits, nuts, and bread are necessities on salumi (Italian charcuterie) boards and add color. Giardiniera, Italian pickled vegetables, add a bold flavor that complements salumi and a variety of cheeses. Other popular additions to salumi (Italian charcuterie) boards include the following:

•  Grapes
•  Figs
•  Pistachios
•  Ciabatta
•  Focaccia
•  Olives

How to Assemble and Present a Salumi (Italian Charcuterie) Board

The perfect salumi (Italian charcuterie) board looks just as good as it tastes. The board is the foundation of the presentation, just like salumi is the foundation of the flavors. Large wooden boards or slates are aesthetically pleasing and provide plenty of space. Arrange salumi, cheese, and extras in a way that generates interest — get creative with folding or cutting each ingredient. Add cheese knives and toothpicks to make everything easily accessible.

Tips for Serving a Perfect Salumi (Italian Charcuterie) Board on Wine Night in Long Island

Prioritizing freshness and organization will help hosts provide the most enjoyable salumi (Italian charcuterie) board experience. Salumi and cheeses should be cut or sliced in advance to save time. Everything must be refrigerated until about an hour before wine night in Long Island begins to preserve freshness. While assembling, adding small labels to each element will help guests with dietary restrictions, preferences, and allergies.

Gemma Salumi: A Curated Taste of Italian Tradition

Gemma Salumi crafts the finest salumi products with heirloom recipes, wholesome choice cuts, and clean ingredients. Our culinary legacy began with our ancestors in Agerola, Italy, and lives on in New England through our family’s culinary brand, Salumificio G.B. For generations, our Italian family used the craft of salumi to preserve their meat, now we’re sharing it with the United States. Family traditions and Italian heritage season every Gemma Salumi recipe, keeping customers hungry for more.