Building and decorating gingerbread houses has been a long-standing holiday tradition for many families, especially for those with kids. However, this activity might not be your thing if you’re in an all-adult household. So, instead of gingerbread houses, why not go for something that’s more age-appropriate? And by that, we mean something that will go well with a bottle of wine. Say, a charcuterie chalet.
This might seem odd for many of you, but this trend has actually been around for quite a while. Apparently, people have been making miniature holiday houses out of crackers, cheese and cured meat since at least 2016. And to be fair, the results look as delectable as typical charcuterie boards.
Charcuterie chalets are the newest Christmas food trend and they’re a great alternative to traditional gingerbread houses
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Just like assembling a charcuterie board, there’s no right or wrong way to build your meat and cheese cabin. So, feel free to let your imagination run wild and use whatever you have in your pantry. Of course, it’s most ideal to have crackers, cheese and cured meat on hand. Even so, you don’t have to limit yourself to these elements alone. You can also use herbs, fruits and nuts to give your edible chalet extra details and decorations.
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People on Instagram have been raving about this festive trend. So, we’ve included a few photos to give you some inspiration. You can start off by giving your charcuterie cabin a structure. Apparently, crackers and breadsticks are popular options for the walls. You can also use crackers for the roof and layer them with salami pieces for added texture and color. To hold the pieces together, simply smother the pieces with dips or jams.
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View this post on Instagram
Of course, your holiday cottage wouldn’t be complete without some festive elements. You can take inspiration from Instagram user @sorrenteaux’s creation which features gingerbread man-shaped cheese bits and cucumber Christmas trees. Or you can make a snowman out of cheese and adorn him with a prosciutto hat and scarf just like @farmcurious. For the final touch, you can add a good portion of grated cheese to complete your edible winter wonderland.
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View this post on Instagram
Indeed, there are countless ways to construct your charcuterie chalets. Although it might seem a bit more challenging and time-consuming, it’s a great alternative to the usual holiday tradition. Plus, it’s a good excuse to reward yourself with a glass of wine after.