The Charcuterie Chalet is the Hottest Snack House!
OMG YOU GUYS… CAN WE JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO APPRECIATE HOW CUTE THIS TURNED OUT!? I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS ABOUT MY CONSTRUCTION SKILLS, BUT I BUILT MY CHARCUTERIE CHALET & AM SO EXCITED TO SHARE A TUTORIAL WITH YOU GUYS TO MAKE YOUR OWN THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!
THE CHARCUTERIE CHALET
GINGERBREAD HOUSES ARE A CLASSIC CHRISTMAS TRADITION. SURPRISINGLY, I NEVER MADE ONE GROWING UP AND TO THIS DAY HAVEN’T ACTUALLY MADE ONE! SO I GUESS THAT’S ANOTHER HOLIDAY BUCKET LIST ITEM I NEED TO TRY!
A CHARCUTERIE CHALET IS BASICALLY A MEAT & CHEESE BOARD TURNED GINGERBREAD HOUSE. OR, A SAVORY GINGERBREAD HOUSE!
YOU CAN USE CRACKERS OR PRETZEL RODS FOR THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR CHALET – BUT I TOOK THE EASY ROUTE AND USED A PRE-MADE GINGERBREAD HOUSE. HONESTLY, IF YOU’RE NOT SUPER PICKY ABOUT THE STRUCTURE SHAPE, IT’S THE EASIEST ROUTE AND SUPER STURDY!
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MAKING A CHARCUTERIE CHALET AND A GINGERBREAD HOUSE IS THE INGREDIENTS! BASICALLY YOU JUST NEED AN ASSORTMENT OF CHARCUTERIE BOARD ITEMS AND A FEW ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS TO BRING IT ALL TOGETHER!
HERE’S A LIST OF EVERYTHING I BOUGHT & SOME OTHER IDEAS FOR DECORATING YOUR CHARCUTERIE CHALET:
- SALAMI
- CREAM CHEESE
- PARMESAN
- SHREDDED MOZARELLA
- SLICED CHEDDAR CHEESE
- BABYBEL CHEESE ROUNDS
- ROSEMARY
- CRANBERRIES
- PRETZEL RODS
- PRETZEL STICKS
- CRACKER STICKS
- SLICED ALMONDS
- OYSTER CRACKERS
HOW TO BUILD A HOLIDAY CHARCUTERIE CHALET
START BY PICKING A SURFACE TO BUILD YOUR “CHEESE HOUSE” ON. I USED A WOOD CUTTING BOARD. FOR EASY CLEANUP, I USED A SHEET OF PARCHMENT PAPER.
LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, I GOT A GINGERBREAD KIT FROM TARGET – THEY HAVE SOME REALLY FUN ONES IF YOU WANT TO MAKE SOMETHING DIFFERENT LIKE A TREEHOUSE, BARN, VILLAGE, ETC. YOU CAN SET ASIDE THE FROSTING AND CANDY FOR OTHER HOLIDAY BAKING, ALL YOU NEED IS THE “STRUCTURE”.
I STARTED BY “FROSTING” THE HOUSE WITH CREAM CHEESE. THIS SERVES AS KIND OF A GLUE TO HOLD THE MEAT AND CHEESE ON. IT ALSO DOUBLES AS SNOW!
FOR THE ROOF, I LAYERED PIECES OF SALAMI TO LOOK LIKE SHINGLES. FOR THE SIDING OF THE HOUSE, I USED SLICES OF CHEDDAR CHEESE TO LOOK KIND OF LIKE PANELS. FOR THE FRONT & BACK, I USED BOXED ITALIAN BREADSTICKS (AKA CRACKER STICKS).
THE PROCESS IS PRETTY STRAIGHT FORWARD, YOU JUST NEED TO CUT OR TRIM THE INGREDIENTS TO FIT THE SIZE OF THE HOUSE. THEN, PLACE IT ON TOP OF THE CREAM CHEESE. YOU CAN ALWAYS ADD MORE CREAM CHEESE TO HELP IT STICK.
FOR THE FRONT DOOR, I USED SOME SMALL PRETZEL STICKS & USED A ROSEMARY SPRIG TO MAKE A MINIATURE WREATH. I ADDED SOME MORE CREAM CHEESE TO LOOK LIKE FRESH SNOW – THEN ADDED SOME SLICED ALMONDS TO THE ROOF FOR COLOR & TEXTURE.
TO LOOK LIKE SNOW, I SPRINKLED SHREDDED MOZZARELLA CHEESE AROUND THE BASE OF THE HOUSE AND BOARD. THEN SPRINKLED SOME GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE ON THE ROOF & ON TOP OF THE MOZZARELLA FOR A POWDERY SNOW EFFECT.
LASTLY, I USED SOME PRETZEL RODS TO LOOK LIKE LOGS/FALLEN TREES. TO MAKE THE ROSEMARY SPRIG TREES STAND UP, I STUCK THEM INTO BABYBEL CHEESE ROUNDS. I MADE A CUTE LITTLE PATHWAY USING OYSTER CRACKERS & ADDED A FEW FRESH CRANBERRIES FOR MORE COLOR!
I LOVE THAT YOU CAN GET REALLY CREATIVE WITH THESE! USE GINGERBREAD HOUSES ON PINTEREST FOR INSPIRATION & JUST USE SAVORY INGREDIENTS INSTEAD!
