Charcuterie is the French term for the culinary art of cold cooked meats. This includes salami, ham, bacon, sausage, pates, confit, ballotines and more. Charcuterie is a traditional way of eating these meats, which is now a popular dish once again - and we can see why!
You will find charcuterie on the menu at lots of restaurants, pubs and bars in the New Forest. Charcuterie platters are a fantastic and easy eating choice for lunch or dinner, or as a light bite in the afternoon, at a local eatery, while catching up and nattering away with friends and family, or even to share on a special date night with your other half. Charcuterie platters also pair extremely well with locally produced wines, too.
On most menus, you will also find other delicious products on charcuterie platters too, including cheeses, breads, houmous, olives and tomatoes. From the smoked meats and the cheeses, to warm freshly baked breads and juicy tomatoes, lots of the items that make up these charcuterie platters are locally produced or grown.
A Pinch of Salt is a fantastic local curing company, using free-range pork from small holders in the New Forest. Plus Lyburn Cheese make some of the best cheeses around, there are lots of other local cheese companies in the New Forest too. There are loads of brilliant bakeries in the New Forest that bake beautiful breads, and other baked goods. And lots of farms across the New Forest that grow tasty tomatoes every year, some restaurants and pubs even grow their own in the kitchen gardens.
Or create your own charcuterie platter, to enjoy at home or pack up in a picnic and take into the magical New Forest to graze a sunny afternoon away, surrounded by stunning wildlife and nature.
