{"id":1774793,"date":"2022-06-13T16:33:15","date_gmt":"2022-06-13T21:33:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/?p=1774793"},"modified":"2024-10-04T10:10:30","modified_gmt":"2024-10-04T15:10:30","slug":"4th-of-july-charcuterie-board","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/article\/4th-of-july-charcuterie-board\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Make a Star-Spangled Fourth of July Charcuterie Board"},"content":{"rendered":"

What\u2019s the Fourth of July without red, white and blue? Not only can you dress up in patriotic colors and deck out your home in stars and stripes, but you can also make your food feel just as festive with a colorful Fourth of July charcuterie board<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

Using speckled cheeses, colorful candies and summery fruits, you can have a red, white and blue spread ready to go in no time. This Fourth of July charcuterie board will the perfect addition to the lineup of burgers and hot dogs, potluck salads<\/a> and other barbecue sides<\/a> at any get-together this Independence Day.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

How to Make a Fourth of July Charcuterie Board<\/h2>\r\n

Foods to include<\/h3>\r\nRed foods: <\/strong>Fresh fruit is one of the best parts of summer, and we wanted to take advantage of in-season produce like raspberries and strawberries for our Fourth of July charcuterie board. We also used bright maraschino cherries, though black cherries work, too. We added even more sweetness with short-cut licorice and freshly cut watermelon<\/a>\u2014a hallmark of summer.\r\n\r\nWhite foods: <\/strong>Cheese and crackers are the perfect way to add white to a red, white and blue Fourth of July charcuterie board. We chose star-shaped crackers to fit the theme, along with a speckled cranberry Stilton and a wedge of blue cheese for their touches of red and blue. Bite-size cubes of white cheddar cheese are always a crowd-pleaser.\r\n\r\nBlue foods:\u00a0<\/strong>When you have a summery, fruit-filled board, you can't forget fresh blueberries! To include even more fruity flavor, we picked up some blueberry yogurt pretzels<\/a> that balance out the sweetness with a little salt.\r\n\r\nWhile blueberries are the only truly blue fruit, blackberries and grapes will read as blue when placed next to other blue items\u2014especially in contrast to bright red foods like maraschino cherries. Other true-blue items include blue M&M's, which\u00a0double as a way to sneak some chocolate on the board (we love a chocolate charcuterie board<\/a>, too).\r\n\r\nFigs are a clever fruit to include because whole, they look blue\u2014but cut, they look red!\r\n\r\nColorful candies: <\/strong>Pick up some on-theme candies to add to your board, like miniature peanut butter cups wrapped in stars and stripes or chocolate nonpareils with red, white and blue sprinkles that remind us of fireworks.\r\n

How to Build a Fourth of July Charcuterie Board<\/h3>\r\n\"close\r\n

Step 1: Plan your pattern<\/h4>\r\nTaste Recipes Food Stylist Shannon Norris<\/a> wanted bursts of color on this Fourth of July charcuterie board, so she arranged the items in horizontal stripes of red, white and blue, and then red again. \"Doubling up on the red really made it pop visually,\" she says.\r\n\r\nThe stripes don't need to be crisply separated: Let the different-colored items run into each other a bit to make the board look more playful and appetizing.\r\n

Step 2: Place the fruit dip on the board<\/h4>\r\nSince the bowl of honey-lime fruit dip is the largest individual item on the board, make space for it before anything else. Pick a spot that will be in the same line as the other white items.\r\n\r\nYou can make the dip\u00a0ahead of time and pull it out of the fridge when it's time to assemble.\r\n

Step 3: Start with the red stripe<\/h4>\r\nPlace your strawberries in the top left corner to begin creating the red stripe across the top of the board. To the right, arrange watermelon triangles and a heaping pile of raspberries. Mound on more than you think you should because they'll go fast.\r\n

Step 4: Sandwich the fruit dip with the cheeses and crackers<\/h4>\r\nAfter you've got enough fruit at the top of the board, fill out the white stripe to the left and right of the fruit dip.\r\n\r\nLay the star-shaped crackers out flat next to each of the cheeses. Don't overdo it on the board, but have plenty of extras on hand for refills since crackers are usually one of the first items on a charcuterie board.\r\n\r\nDon't forget to cut into each cheese wedge to get your guests started. (Otherwise, they may stay away from the cheese to avoid being the first to cut into it.) Here are more cheese board ideas<\/a> to keep in mind.\r\n

Step 5: Add in the blue (and purple) food<\/h4>\r\nBelow your cheeses and crackers, start the stripe of blue. Put a handful of blueberries underneath the fruit dip, blackberries to the left of the blueberries, and blue M&Ms on either side. You can never get enough M&Ms!\r\n\r\nFill up the bottom right corner with more blue candies, such as the blueberry yogurt pretzels and nonpareils.\r\n

Step 6: Finish with another stripe of red at the bottom<\/h4>\r\nThe only part of your charcuterie board left to cover is the bottom left corner (it's OK if your final red stripe doesn't go all the way across the board). Licorice, maraschino cherries, grapes and figs\u2014both whole and cut in half\u2014will round out the last bit of red on the board.\r\n

Step 7: Sprinkle in colorful candies<\/h4>\r\nAfter arranging the red, white and blue stripes, tie them all together by sprinkling in the chocolate nonpareils and mini peanut butter cups.\r\n

Step 8: Serve!<\/h4>\r\nSet out your Fourth of July charcuterie board with small plates, napkins, and toothpicks that your guests can use to pick up the fruit.\r\n\r\nConsider making a signature drink to go with the board, like a red, white and blue frozen lemonade<\/a>. Food stylist Shannon suggests blue raspberry soda, strawberry lemonade or something as simple as sparkling water with a few red and blue berries tossed in for color.\r\n

Tips for Making a Fourth of July Charcuterie Board<\/h2>\r\n

Can you make a Fourth of July charcuterie board ahead of time?<\/h3>\r\nOne easy way to prep your Fourth of July charcuterie board ahead of time is to cut up all of your fruit the night before (here are some ways to keep cut fruit fresh<\/a>). Store it in the fridge and arrange it on the board just before party time. Cut up more fruit than you can fit, since your fruit will probably need to be replenished before the party is over.\r\n\r\nOtherwise, you can assemble the entire board an hour or so ahead of time, cover it and pop it in the fridge.\r\n

How can you make this Fourth of July charcuterie board even more festive?<\/h3>\r\nWe've got plenty more ideas for your Fourth of July charcuterie board:\r\n