Charcuterie…such a fancy word and yet, it’s the simplest appetizer you could “make”. Charcuterie is a French word for  a culinary specialty that originally referred to the creation of pork products such as salami, sausages, and prosciutto. 

We recently had a family pool party and I offered to bring some appetizers. For us, a simple family get together is not 10 people…no, it’s closer to 30 people! I didn’t want to do something over the top complicated so I decided to go with a simple Charcuterie and Cheese platter. I also included Asparagus wrapped in Prosciutto with a garlic and herb cream cheese. OMG it’s so good! 

Since we were transporting the food, I created the platter at home and covered it in cling wrap (you’ll see that in the pictures). For my meats, I chose prosciutto, salami and summer sausage. For the cheeses, I hit Trader Joe’s. They have a fabulous cheese section! I went with a double cream Gouda, Brie and a Parmesan that had been soaked in Syrah (it looks gorgeous and tastes out of this world!). 

The asparagus is super simple to prepare…blanch it in hot water until it turns a bright green color. Let it cool. On each slice of prosciutto spread Alouette Garlic & Herb cheese, then roll the asparagus into it. Simple and good! 

Don’t forget the crackers! Next time you are going to a party, why not bring the simple dish with the fancy name?!