Charcu-tree, a splendid holiday snack

A charcuterie tray is a beautiful way to serve a crowd with ease, there’s something for everyone and you just have to replenish a little as the party goes on. For a little gathering last night I created a charcu-tree, get it?

Charcuterie board, Christmas tree charcuterie, Beecher's cheese, salami, grilled olives, clementines, grapes, Mama lil's asparagini, bay leaves, sage, prosciutto, stuffed peppers, pecans

To set up the frame work I used Mama Lil’s asparagini (they’re in a yummy spicy brine). This is an old cheese board I scored while touring a cheese factory in Zermatt, Switzerland after doing the Haute Route.

Charcuterie board, Christmas tree charcuterie, Mama lil's asparagini,

These red and green peppers stuffed with cheese and packed in oil created a perfect foundation.

Charcuterie board, Christmas tree charcuterie, Mama lil's asparagini, stuffed peppers

For the next layer, some clementines {a little vitamin C is always good in the winter) and some plump briny green olives.

Charcuterie board, Christmas tree charcuterie, Beecher's cheese, Mama lil's asparagini, stuffed peppers

To make the clementines easy to eat I sliced them open and cut out the white membranes so diners could more easily enjoy the fresh juice.

Next, some chunky crumbles of fabulously nutty Beecher’s flagship cheese and pinches of salty, melt-in-your mouth proscuitto.

Charcuterie board, Christmas tree charcuterie, Beecher's cheese, clementines, Mama lil's asparagini, prosciutto, stuffed peppers,

The Beecher’s crumbles were actually a by product. For the decorative stars I was using cookie cutters on slices of this robust cheese and it was a little crumbly {as it should be} and I didn’t want those fabulous crumbles to go to waste, so it made a perfect layer of white.

Then I started clicking along with a layer of red grapes {washed and cut into small bunches + individual grapes, a row of Trader Joe’s seasoned pecans, a row of Boar’s Head Genoa Salame and Sopressata rolled into rosettes and more clementines.

Charcuterie board, Christmas tree charcuterie, Beecher's cheese, salami, clementines, grapes, Mama lil's asparagini, prosciutto, stuffed peppers, pecans

And finished the tree with LIFE CHANGING Grilled pitted Chalkidiki green olives in olive oil from Trader Joe’s more of the Beecher’s crumbles.

Charcuterie board, Christmas tree charcuterie, Beecher's cheese, salami, grilled olives, clementines, grapes, Mama lil's asparagini, prosciutto, stuffed peppers, pecans

A few sprigs of rosemary started the foliage and pecans made a stump.

I framed the food with sprigs of sage and bay laurel. And topped the tree with a couple of stars {stacked on top of each other for thickness} cut from Beecher’s cheese.