When COVID-19 caused teacher Holly Isserstedt to start virtual classes, she longed for a creative outlet and missed the high-end dining experiences she enjoyed pre-pandemic. Holly then fell in love with gourmet charcuterie boards, and the idea for Choo Choo Charcuterie was born.
Holly has taken the farm-to-table concept found at many upscale restaurants and applied the idea to her made-to-order boards that can be delivered right to your doorstep. Choo Choo Charcuterie focuses on locally sourced ingredients like meats, cheeses, spreads and artisan breads and blends them with in-season favorites like stone fruits in late spring and summer or apples and figs in early fall.
“While aesthetics are an important part of any cheese or charcuterie board, taste is our priority, said Holly. “Food is best when enjoyed at the peak of its season.”
When it comes to the perfect charcuterie board, Holly has truly thought of everything. The team at Choo Choo Charcuterie offers everything from date night and Hors d’oeuvres boards to charcuterie flights and kid’s boxes. But Choo Choo Charcuterie doesn’t just stop at beautiful and tasty boards; the team also specializes in farm-fresh flower arrangements and pop-up picnics for any occasion.
So how do you build a perfect board? According to Holly, there is no one way to create the “perfect board.” However, she did offer up a few tips to help you get started building a board of your own:
Meats
Play up the variety by offering at least three different types of meats. Popular choices include cured meats such as salami & prosciutto, or cured sausage such as sopressata or pepperoni.
Cheeses
Pick out two to three different kinds of cheese with varying flavors and textures. Hard cheese such as Parmesan or Manchego, semi soft cheese such as Gouda or Cheddar and soft cheese such as Brie, chèvre, or blue cheese.
Accoutrements
These are the extras that help you build the perfect bite! Briny or salty elements, such as pickles and olives to balance the richness of the meat and cheese. Sweet components, such as dried and fresh fruit, jams, jellies and honey. And don’t forget to add tang and texture with nuts, spreads and mustard.
A Crispy Canvas
The foundation upon which you custom-build each delicious mouthful! Crackers, bread slices and slices of cucumber or carrot make the perfect vehicle for your delicious toppings.
Sweets
Add your favorite sweet treat for a great balance of the savory elements. Top choices include dark chocolate, your favorite shortbread, chocolate covered pretzels, macarons or wafers.
To learn more about Choo Choo Charcuterie or to place an order, visit choochoocharcuterie.com and don’t forget to give them a follow on Instagram for swoon-worthy images that you can almost taste!