Get ‘On Board’ With Charcuterie From Chester

CHESTER, NJ — With the COVID pandemic quest for mouthwatering foods with eye appeal and sustainability, charcuterie has become a rising star.

The term “charcuterie” comes from France, Deli Business magazine explained in 2020, which is the process of preserving meats that dates back for centuries, with it today reflecting convenience blended with beauty, two of the reasons this food art has continued to grow in popularity.

People are looking for something sustainable, high-protein, nice to look at and easy to grab, which they find that all on a charcuterie board, the publication reported.

Charcuterie made an even greater splash in 2021, according to a Fox5 report, with the pronunciation of the word one of Google’s most searched this past year.

It’s not just meats that comprise a beautiful-looking charcuterie board. The New York Times recently suggested charcuterie could make an easy dinner spread, when prosciutto and sausages are paired with cheeses, olives, dried fruit, cornichons and nuts, all artfully arranged.

The charcuterie wave has become so popular, Women’s Health magazine featured a lineup of charcuterie boards as gift ideas for the people who love to entertain - mostly wooden ones - some equipped with drawers to arrange pistachios and tools like cheese spreaders and knives, to transform the feast into something even more special.

Some charcuterie ideas have expanded beyond meats, with vegan varieties, dessert platters and other options, Pinterest offering a storehouse of ideas.

If you’d like to leave the art of making one to a charcuterie expert locally, this holiday season or beyond, Chester Main Charcuterie has you covered.

Started by Marisa Casendino who has owned Taylor’s Ice Cream Parlor on 18 Main Street over the past four years, Casendino described it has a “whole new journey” with branching out into the charcuterie board-arranging business.

She embraces gourmet foods and with a commercial kitchen already, Casendino can put together “the best smorgasbord of locally-made artisanal cheeses and quality-cured charcuterie,” for all occasions.

She needs 48 hours’ notice to prepare one, like the charcuterie board pictured below:

Casendino has even taught the art of beautiful charcuterie board arrangements recently, during a DIY Charcuterie Board Fundraiser to benefit the Chester-based NJ South Hills Pet Rescue, with participants walking away with a wood board, supplies and the know-how to stylize their own charcuterie spread.

Prevailing over the pandemic supply chain issues like many small business owners, Casendino can prepare charcuterie for those who would prefer to have someone else create their Instagram-worthy, picture-perfect board for them.

Some of those special ingredients she can customize boards with, include meats rolled up into rose shapes and arranged with flowers and sprigs of herbs, and with components depending on the boards, like marinated mushrooms, blackberries, fresh figs, specialty crackers, jars of local honey and much more.

Ordering a charcuterie board from Chester Main Charcuterie is just a click away, to enjoy for one person or several people, with the full menu of platters here, which can be picked up in the store or delivered.

For all of Chester Main Charcuteries’ offerings go to www.chestermaincharcuterie.com.

Questions or comments about this story? Have a local news tip? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.