Leaves are falling, temperatures are dropping, and it’s finally every aesthetic girl’s favorite season. Every year, I feel that fall comes and goes faster than the other three seasons, so this year I wanted to capitalize on the autumnal foods before they’re gone. Between all the pumpkin and apple specials, I wanted to see how I could combine everything into one perfect fall board. So I did exactly that this past weekend, setting off on a mission at Trader Joe’s to find all the perfect charcuterie ingredients that could help me reach this goal. What resulted was (what I’d call) a perfect fall cheeseboard that I happily enjoyed alongside good company, bubbly Prosecco, and a delicious honeycrisp apple candle. I’m pretty proud of how this actually turned out, so keep reading to read about all the products I used and the techniques I implemented to make this masterpiece.
Applewood Smoked Salami
I’m not a huge fan of cured meats, but they’re obviously a staple on any true charcuterie board. Trader Joe’s luckily makes an applewood smoked salami, which I knew would be a perfect addition. I love applewood smoked anything, and this flavor profile definitely matches the fall vibe. To plate, I used a technique from a charcuterie-making class I took last spring. Just fold each slice twice in half to create a flower-like bit of salami, but make sure to crease it well so it doesn’t come undone. I like to tuck these pieces in a few small groups up on the board to balance them out with cheese, crackers, and other fill-ins.
Creamy Toscano Cheese Dusted with Cinnamon
Upon doing some research on fall favorites from Trader Joe’s, this cinnamony Toscano cheese kept coming up on people’s lists! I thought the combination would be super unique because I’ve never had the spice on cheese, but it really gave the fall feel when paired with the salami from earlier and some of my upcoming cracker picks. The cheese texture is super easy to work with, so I cut the block into little squares that fit on my crackers. Some pieces were a bit crumbly, but since the flavor is super strong, using small bits of this specific cheese is definitely the move. The slight spiciness from the cinnamon goes extremely well with the tangy cheese, so it’s definitely not to be missed in any recreations.
Traditional French Brie
I personally can’t make a cheeseboard without including a brie because in my opinion, it’s the staple cheese. I knew I was going to make grapes and apples the main fruit elements, so that choice felt right. Everyone knows those two pair well with brie cheese. Trader Joe’s actually has a bunch of brie options, but I went with the traditional French one because of the size. I could also tell it was going to be stretchy without going overboard on the creaminess, making it a perfect addition to my fall charcuterie.
Pumpkin Cranberry Crisps
I couldn’t make a fall cheeseboard without some sort of pumpkin element, and luckily Trader Joe’s makes these seasonal crackers. You can totally taste the real pumpkin flavor in these crisps, and baking into actual cranberry chunks takes them up to a new level. These were one of two cracker alternatives on the board, but this one specifically was a key ingredient. Every aspect of the crisps has a unique fall flavor!
Wheat Crisp Crackers
To balance out the crazy autumn vibes of the last item, I wanted to get a simple cracker variation too. I chose the wheat crisps because of their ideal size, and because I felt they’d be a perfect base for a BYO bite moment. Picture these simple but delicious crackers paired with a generous spread of Brie, crunchy grape, and some sweet element (to come later). This was actually a 10/10 idea on my part to balance out the crazy flavor combinations you could make with the rest of my ingredients, and they definitely gave some of the seasonal items more of a chance to stand out.
Pink Lady Apple + Red Seedless Grapes
Fruit is an obvious element of any cheeseboard, and it’s a great way to find seasonal produce for themed boards. Since my goal for this charcuterie was fall, I knew some sort of apple variation needed a moment. From my research, pink lady apples pair well with a lot of different cheeses, making them a great addition to any charcuterie board. The apples at Trader Joe’s right now are so perfectly crisp, and cutting them thinly to serve as a vessel for any of the cheeses was awesome. As I mentioned before, grapes are the best with brie, so those were another fall non-negotiable when shopping for my board. I love the sweet element to each bite with charcuterie, so don’t skimp out on fruit when assembling.
Pumpkin Spiced Pumpkin Seeds + Candied Pecans
The filler items on any charcuterie board are just as important as the main ingredients because they help make the overall product look more full. I love finding fun nut or dried fruit products at Trader Joe’s, so I specifically found two fall items to include: Pumpkin Spiced Pumpkin Seeds and Candied Pecans. Both of these were necessary to fill in all the crevices between cheeses, crackers, and fruit. I love having the leftover nuts from the bag I didn’t use to include in my oatmeal or yogurt for breakfast, as a quick snack during October and November, or in a dessert bowl with other fall sweets.