A LANDMARK, A PLEASANT SURPRISE & CHARCUTERIE
A LANDMARK, A PLEASANT SURPRISE & CHARCUTERIE
Recently I completed sixty-five
years of existence in this world.
It is a landmark for most
people, and for me as well. Although I do not intend to stop working, I have
resolved that from now on I will work only when it is pleasurable and
stress-free. I have also made a few resolutions as I begin this new phase of
life—chief among them is training myself to notice the small things that bring
joy.
No celebration was planned and my wife and I
were to have a quiet evening at home with the youngsters (my son and
daughter-in-law).
While we expected them in the evening, I was
taken aback when they arrived, heavily loaded with bags of goodies, each
carefully sourced after meticulous research to prepare and serve a Charcuterie!
Food has always been a
source of pleasure for me. I was more of a gourmand in my earlier years; with
age, I find myself becoming a gourmet instead. This thoughtful surprise was
therefore the perfect birthday gift and made my sixty-fifth deeply memorable.
I was
summarily shooed off to mind my business while the youngsters with some help
from the Mater occupied our dining table putting together an esthetically
pleasing and gastronomically sensational platter of cheeses, meats, berries,
olives, fruit, and crackers accompanied by an amazing German Pinot Noir that
went down smooth as silk.
Artisans at work
The vegetarian platter
The platter with meats and crackers and stuffed pimentas
the goodies set in place
The Pino Noir
Charcuterie originally is a
French term for the preparation of meat products, like bacon, ham, and sausage. It has now evolved to include not only
a platter of assorted meats, but also cheeses, fruits, crackers, and other
accompaniments, often served as an appetizer or snack. These platters can range
from simple to elaborate and are a popular way to entertain or celebrate with a
variety of gourmet ingredients which are served on a ‘Charcuterie Board’ that
may be wooden or marble.
The serving
of meats and cheese and assorted nuts, fruits, fresh raw vegetable with dips,
chocholate etc has gradually evolved from the original ‘Ploughmans Lunch’ with
its antecedents in the working class. In Europe cheeses, bread with wine or
beer along with cured meats and fresh fruits were standard fare for peasants as
they toiled in the fields. There was no need for refrigeration, the contents
would not easily spoil and could be reused as needed.
The Charcuterie
board was adapted in America in the beginning of the 20th century as
ideal for the ‘Cocktail Parties’ that allowed for large groups of guests to
consume alcohol and finger foods in a socially informal setting over a
relatively short period of time instead of the long dinners that went on for
hours and consisted of several courses of foods. It also drew inspiration and
adapted on the Swedish ‘Smorgasbord’ which is a buffet of open faced
sandwiches.
After the
discovery of raw vegetables as a good source of vitamins in the early 20th
century, the ‘crudite` platter’ containing raw vegetable usually carrots and
celery sticks came into vogue. These were often served with a creamy dip along
with green and black olives and pickled vegetable.
As specialty
food stores started offering wines and fancy cheeses and pate the Charcuterie
board had these items as new additions along with salted crackers and different
breads.
Today’s
Charcuterie boards are often used as a status symbol, are elaborate and
ostentatious with expensive items sourced from all over the world, and for some
are ideal material for posting on Instagram!
They have evolved from being a lowly peasants food to a
gourmet spread that is associated with Haute cuisine
For me this
was the first Charcuterie board prepared with great care and love at home and
was a wonderful gift for my special Day.
Contents of
our Charcuterie boards:
Meats: chicken-ham, spicy salami flowerets.
Cheese:
Emanthal, whiskey cheese and Fetta cheese with chunks of water-melon.
Berries:
Rasberry, Blue-berry, Mulberry.
Fruit: Grapes and water-melon.
Chocholate:
chocowafers, Toblerone.
Cereal: salted
crackers.
Olives:
Black and green with olive oil and pimentas stuffed with cheese.
Such a lovely write up. Indeed beautifully penned blog. It was real culinary artistic walk of this cuisine for us. In fact, this must be the most memorable birthday celebrations in quietude moment with an enthusiastic family
ReplyDeleteYour transition from gourmand to gourmet is also nicely clarified with such methodically outsourced items from all over! This curated & crafted board is indeed artistic & yummy. Kudos to youngsters( artisans in action) for this platter on the birthday dinner table.
Added to this was the historic peasant lunch now transitioned to “Ostentatious Haute cuisine “-
well explained & documented by you
Hip Hip Hurray!!