NC State’s Crafts Center and NC State Dining hosted The Art of Charcuterie, where participants made their own wooden cutting board then attended a session in the Carmichael Gym Teaching Kitchen on how to build the perfect charcuterie, including a tasting that included Shelton Vineyards’ Wolfpack red and white wines.
The class filled up quickly and was capped at 16 participants who created their own special board at the NC State Crafts Center. Then, they were invited to the Teaching Kitchen where they were given a surprise box with cheese, meats, and other pairings to make their own charcuterie board. NC State Dining’s Campus Executive Chef Yolanda Santiago and Sous Chef Jennifer LeGrande demonstrated how to make larger-scale grazing boards, using North Carolina local meats, cheeses, and snacks. Various Wolfpack Wine options were paired with the different boards.
Janice Sitze, a Director of Continuing and Professional Education with the College of Natural Resources, was one of the lucky few who managed to snag a participant spot in the event. She shared that “in the past, I would simply place heavy snacks, like cheese and deli meats, on a platter. One of the most enjoyable parts of this class though was the educational component, in the future I know to consider nutrition; the balance of texture, flavor and color; and, of course, the aesthetics.” The experience was an overall success, integrating the hardwork that it took to make the board in the Craft Center and the conscious and thoughtful choices that go into crafting a balanced snack. “I left the class looking forward to using my new board and new-found knowledge, but also filled with ideas for the next grazing board I could make.”
Chef Santiago shared the key components of a charcuterie board, highlighting how to create the charcuterie board in a way that combines a variety of colors, textures and flavors. She also provided allergy-friendly alternatives including vegan cheese, gluten-free crackers and nut-free snacks. Chef Yolanda and Lauren Smith, NC State Dining’s director of nutrition and wellness, advised how they could consider and provide accommodations for serving guests with dietary restrictions.
“The participants also took turns telling us the story behind the design of their board, which was a really special part of the program,” Lauren shared. “Food always brings people together, and this was an amazing display of the Wolfpack community coming together for food and fellowship.”
