Skip The Glass Of Wine And Sip Tequila With Your Next Charcuterie Board

Charcuterie, cheese, and wine are such a classic combination that they practically curate themselves, particularly when following the golden ratio for filling in any charcuterie board. And, provided you're lucky enough to be a frequent party host or guest, that fantastic amalgam can become tiresome after a while. But there are tasty ways to shake things up. You can impress guests with a sophisticated tinned fish charcuterie board. You can introduce unique accoutrements such as distinctive toppings for cheeses like baked brie. Or you can leave the wine on ice in favor of less expected spirits.

Tequila is just the liquor to bring a lilting twist to your next charcuterie presentation. The smoked, cured meats that give charcuterie its literal name are already known as some of the best foods to pair with tequila, and riffs like the aforementioned seafood takes will also mingle marvelously. Ancillary snacks and sweets like mixed nuts and chocolate are also delicious with the agave-based liquor, and there are more than enough varieties to plan a whole flight to accommodate all of your assembled bites.

Tequila cocktails are top notch, but sippers can provide a more exciting (not to mention easier) way to serve tequila and charcuterie. Because it'll be otherwise unobscured by potentially forgiving additional ingredients, you'll also want to break out the nicest stuff within your budget. The tequila options will also be just as nuanced as the fine wine selections imbibers might be used to, thanks to the many large and small batch tequila offerings on the market.

Like with all food and drink companions, balanced flavors are the key to success. Smokier tequilas almost approaching a mezcal quality, for example, will perform nicely with your mild soft cheeses, but they might become overwhelming together with something substantially more savory like a prosciutto. Those saline proteins, on the other hand, will be great with fruitier tequilas to cut through their richness. And it will be particularly enriching to learn more about how to identify a tequila's tasting notes before you even begin building your cheese and charcuterie board.