If you are thinking of doing something fancy and different for a birthday, picnic, or anything you want to celebrate, a charcuterie board is always a good idea. But we all know it’s not too easy to find everything we need to make the standard charcuterie board here in Sri Lanka. Even if you do find them, you might end up emptying your pockets ($$$). So here's the blueprint for creating a cheese board…. Sri Lankan style. Alright then, let's get this party started!

Cheese
Kotmale Cheese - the OG of Sri Lankan cheeses. In our opinion, Kotmale is the creamiest local cheese you can find. It is available in every supermarket, and the local 'kade'. Get any type of hard cheese and cut it into bite-sized chunks.

Cured Meats
Cured meats like salami, prosciutto, or pepperoni will add some elegance to your cheese board. However, this is a bit of an expensive element. You can skip it if you want to. But if you are feeling generous you can find curated meat at Luxe Colombo. https://luxecolombo.com/collections/cold-cuts

Crackers / Bread
Baguettes and crackers are easy to find at bakeries and supermarkets.

Fruits
Find a wide variety of fresh fruits in vibrant colours. The best options, in our opinion, for an aesthetic cheese board are green and red grapes, strawberries, and pineapples (cut into cubes). To add an exotic touch, you can add mangosteen too.

Nuts
Nuts are a must-have addition to any charcuterie board. They add a satisfying crunch and flavour that complements the cheeses and meats. Choose a variety of nuts like roasted/deviled cashews, almonds or walnuts to offer a range of textures and tastes. You can find all sorts of nuts at https://nutsandco.lk/product-category/nuts/

Jams and dips
Handmade jams and dips would be the bomb with the bread and crackers. You can find them in most of the supermarkets.

Iced tea
Have an iced tea jar with fresh fruit in it. The best iced tea we’ve had is from Heladive. We love their peach and lemon flavours. Heladiv - https://heladiv.com/beverages.php.

Wildflowers
Get a small empty jam jar or a vase and place it in the corner of the cheese board with some pretty wildflowers. This will be the cutest thing on the board. And now the fun part… let’s look at how you should arrange the board. Start by creating sections on your board for different elements. Mix and match and arrange the cheeses, meats, fruits, and nuts in a visually appealing way. Add some extra garnishes like rosemary or thyme for a prettier board. Place forks, spoons, and knives (preferably wooden) around the board.

There's something magical about a charcuterie board. It is so much fun to build and then devour it. You and your guests might stumble upon a flavour combo you never even dreamed of. We hope you have fun creating the perfectly imperfect Charcuterie Board… Sri Lankan Style.  

text Jessica Mathiasz