Welcome to The Storied Recipe Podcast, a podcast about food, culture, and love.

This recipe for How to Build the Perfect Fall Charcuterie Board came from my podcast guest, Daniela Wilson. Make sure you listen to her episode Rejection, Defection, and Redemption while you make a Fall Charcuterie Board!

Fall Charcuterie Board covered with meats, cheeses, breads, fresh golden grapes, roasted grapes, soft spreadable cheeses, sunflowers, and golden rod

As a defector from the Czech Republic, Daniela went years without seeing any family at all. Now, when they gather, they want meals that are as simple as possible, so they can focus on connection and conversation.

She remembers beautiful autumn days in Canada where her family gathered over an easy Charcuterie and Cheese board with their favorite Czech treats. Daniela says, "Across heritages, phases in life, troubled & strained relationships, we gathered and fellowshipped for hours and it is so so sweet."

As Daniela's family has expanded to include relatives of many diverse heritages, so did their Harvest Grazing boards.

Therefore, this post highlights both Daniela's suggestions for a Czech Charcuterie board and many more ideas for a Festive Fall charcuterie board.

(P.S. Make sure you check out Daniela's other storied recipes: Czech Chebla Bread for Grazing Boards and Traditional Apple Strudel, as well as my two recipe round-up posts, 28 Best Crackers for Charcuterie Boards and Best Breads for Charcuterie Boards!)

two slices of thick chewy crusty bread on a charcuterie board with grapes, cheeses, meats, and a sunflower

Favorite Grazing Board Picks

There are many different sizes (small or large boards) and types of charcuterie boards (wood, slate, or marble) to choose from when creating your autumn board. It is up to your personal preference, but here are a few examples that I like using different materials:

Wooden board - This one is made from bamboo and has an elevated shelf that can be used to separate the nuts from the rest of the food if your guests have any allergies, or can separate wet or oily foods if you don't want it to ruin the meats, cheeses, and breads/crackers. There are also spots to hold small bowls for jams and dips and comes with a variety of cheese knives.
Slate board - This dark slate board comes with chalk which you can use to write directly on the board (and wipe off easily) to label each item on your fall board. It also comes with cheese knives and ceramic bowls.
Marble board - This board is actually a marble and wood board and has spots for three bowls as well as comes with cheese knives and small spoons that match your appetizer board.

detail shot of meats near apricot jam and rosemary on harvest charcuterie board

Autumn Charcuterie Board Meats (Choose at least two)

For Czech-inspired Charcuterie: A very special ham. In the US there are all kinds of deli meats you can use, but they don't compare to Šunka. This is Westphalian Ham (which is ham from pigs that were fed acorns in the forests of Westphalia, Germany). Needless to say, this isn't sold in regular grocery stores, but if you are lucky enough to find it in your local grocery store, make sure to ask them to slice it paper thin. Daniela says that if you can find Šunka the next closest thing is Prosciutto.

Charcuterie is a French term that originally described a pork butcher's shop. Now, the definition of the word has expanded to describe a platter with a variety of meats, cheeses, breads/crackers, jams, and dips. Keeping with the nature of the original definition of the word, meat on your board is a must. For an elevated presentation, consider cubing, slicing, or rolling your meat products and choosing meats that are darker in color to showcase the color scheme of fall.

Prosciutto
Salami
Chorizo
Šunka (Westphalian ham)

closeup shot of parmigiano reggiano for charcuterie board.

Harvest Charcuterie Board Cheeses (Choose at least two: Minimum one hard cheese, minimum one soft cheese)

For Czech Charcuterie: Daniela says that for a Czech-inspired board, orange cheeses aren't typically served on a board, but hard cheese such as Gouda with Carroway Seeds and Swiss Cheese are popular choices.

On your fall cheese platter, make sure that you have a variety of cheeses both in texture and flavor. If you want to only have two types of cheese on your board, aim for one hard cheese and one soft cheese, at least. Since this is a fall cheese board, have fun with fall-inspired cheeses, such as cranberry goat cheese or other fall-inspired flavors!

Hard Cheese

Smoked Cheddar for a warm autumn flavor
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Sharp Cheddar cheese or White Cheddar Cheese - a safe option for everyone
Aged Gouda
Manchego Cheese

Soft Cheese - a great option is having creamy cheese on your board because it will always be a crowd favorite.

Brie - check out this Baked Brie with Balsamic Roasted Grapes and Rosemary storied recipe also from Daniela!
Camembert
Cream cheese with a festive topping such as pepper jelly, like this recipe from Julia's Simply Southern.
Goat cheese - the texture varies based on the age of the goat cheese, but this recipe from Simply Healthy Kitchen covers her goat cheese in honey, fig, and pistachios.

Blue Cheese

Roquefort
Stilton
Bleu d'Auvergne

Crumbly Cheese

Feta
Gorgonzola (also a blue cheese)
Goat cheese (if aged)

apricot jam and butter on perfect bread for charcuterie board with salami and parmesan behind

Fall Charcuterie Board Jams/Jellies (Choose at least one)

For Czech Charcuterie: Apricot jam or orange marmalade.

Jams and jellies are a great way to add seasonal flavors to your board. They also provide sweetness to balance the saltiness of the cheese and meats.

Jam Ideas:

Strawberry Lemon Jam - check out this storied recipe for Strawberry Lemon Jam from my podcast guest Letitia Clark.
Fig Jam
Pear Vanilla Jam - recipe from Food In Jars
Apple Pie Jam - recipe from A Family Feast
Rhubarb and Ginger Jam - recipe from Fab Food 4 All

crackers with raspberry jam and pimento cheese - perfect pairing from fall charcuterie board

Fall Charcuterie Board Dips (Choose at least one)

Making the best fall charcuterie board is really done from the extras and not really from the meat and cheeses since they are mostly the same throughout the year. The fun part when making a good grazing board for fall is adding in the fall-inspired dips that have a rich flavor, are warm, well-spiced, and embody all of your favorite fall flavors. These will really set your board apart from a regular charcuterie board at any other time of year. Here are a few examples of my favorite ways to spice up a fall board:

Pimento Cheese - like this Old Fashioned Pimento Cheese storied recipe from Brenda Wyatt; it also pairs wonderfully with raspberry jam (see photo above)
Pumpkin Hummus - recipe from Little Sunny Kitchen
Apple Butter - recipe from Sugar Spun Run
Pumpkin Butter - recipe from Organic Authority
Honey

Autumn Charcuterie Board Veggies (Choose at least one)

Adding vegetables is a great way to add a variety of textures to your board as well as gives a healthier option for your guests to enjoy instead of overloading on carbs and starches. Since it is an autumn board, try using seasonal produce to pair with your favorite fall foods.

Broccoli
Sweet potatoes
Winter squash
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery

czech chleba bread topped with a smear of golden brie and roasted red grapes and a final tiny rosemary leaf

Harvest Charcuterie Board Fruits (Choose at least two: One fresh fruit, one dried fruit)

Cutting fresh, seasonal fruits into fun fall shapes will turn your charcuterie into a festive board for fall gatherings, featuring different fruits that celebrate the season.

Fresh Fruits

Persimmon
Apples
Figs
Cranberries
Pears
Pumpkins - a mini pumpkin is also a good idea for decoration on your board
Red grapes

Dried Fruits

holiday grazing board spread with parmesan, figs, cranberries, and crackers

Fall Snack Board Breads and Crackers

For Czech Charcuterie: Rye bread, but not just any rye bread, Czech Chebla bread, which you can find on her storied recipe.

For all the inspiration you could ever want for bread and crackers to put on your fall-themed charcuterie board, check out my post Best Breads for Charcuterie Boards, and 28 Best Crackers for Charcuterie Boards!

Snacks and Bites

For Czech Charcuterie: Chlebíčky! These open-faced sandwiches are very popular in Czechia and are a popular appetizer served on New Year's Eve. Check out this recipe from Cooks Like Czech.

The best way to achieve an easy fall charcuterie board that looks very full is to fill any empty space with little bites that go well with the rest of your fall theme (and are honestly the best part of any board because they are so much fun to mix and match with the other foods).

Though not for eating, consider putting fresh herbs like Thyme or Rosemary on your board to elevate the look of your board.

golden pilsner beer with tall head in frosty glass all in front of autumn charcuterie board and goldenrod

Charcuterie Board Pairings

For Czech Charcuterie: Czechia is known for its beer so if you want to complete your Czech-inspired board, serve Pilsner!

Drinks are technically not a part of your board, but it is a great idea to think about drinks that pair well with your board flavors.

Beer - many great options like Pumpkin beer, Oktoberfest beer, Autumn Ales, Ciders, etc.
Wine - I would choose red wine over white wine because its more full-bodied flavor complements the cooler time of year
Pumpkin spice lattes - if you are hosting a breakfast-themed fall charcuterie board
Apple cider

Food Safety: How long can you leave a grazing board out?

Since most of the food is perishable, according to the Mayo Clinic, you should only leave the board out at room temperature for two hours. One way to do this more safely, they suggest that you can

Daniela's Memories of Making A Charcuterie Board

When Daniela asked me to assemble and photograph a Harvest charcuterie board to represent her heritage and most cherished memories, I simply couldn't understand - what was so Czech about a charcuterie board?

And, gosh, a charcuterie and cheese board could be anything, really - just some meats and cheeses on a platter. Then I heard Daniela's story. I heard how she arrived at an airport when she was 19 and hugged her family, knowing (but not telling) that she would never see them again. She was not going to return. She was leaving her home without knowing one word of English or even having a relationship with the family she was going to. I heard how this courage led her to the answers to spiritual questions she asked since childhood and how she found a new family, while eventually seeing her old family again.

How to Build the Perfect Fall Charcuterie Board