This post contains a sponsored inclusion of La Crema, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board.
"As moms, we lead busy lives. We often forget, in the midst of running from soccer practices to coordinating family dinners, that we need to prioritize time for ourselves, including spending time with their closest friends. Moms need girls’ nights, too—but ones that are low-effort, laidback, and preferably end before 9 p.m. More often than not, a nice pour of wine, great conversation, and our favorite foods are on the agenda—bonus points if that food is presented grab-and-go style on serving board that’s as visually appealing as it is tasty.
That’s why we reached out to La Crema’s Executive Chef Tracey Shepos Cenami to give us the low-down on the easiest—yet undeniably delicious—charcuterie board ideas, plus a list of which La Crema wines would elevate your girls’ nights by tenfold. Here are her favorite pairings:
Meet the expert
Tracey Shepos Cenami
Executive Chef, La Crema
In this article
Chef Tracey’s Favorite Food Board Ideas
Cheese Board
If you ask me, wine and cheese = relationship goals. When done right, they can complement each other beautifully and when I walk into a gathering to see there’s a cheese board on the menu, I already know my taste buds will be buzzing and that I’ll leave with a full, happy belly. Chef Tracey believes the best cheese boards have a smattering of different textures and flavor profiles. For soft cheeses, she recommends brie, Mt. Tam, Humboldt fog, or camembert. As for medium cheeses, havarti, fontina, and Carmody are great options. You’ll also want to grab some firm, or “hard” cheeses, like Manchego, sharp cheddar, pecorino, and pepato. For wine, Chef Tracey recommends picking up a bottle of La Crema’s Sonoma Coast Chardonnay. This vibrant, crisp wine has subtle notes of pear and crisp apple that play well off of differing cheese types. Chardonnay is typically a very food-friendly wine, so no matter what you place on your board, it’ll pair just right.
To assemble a cheese board, first, grab a large, round board. In my personal experience, circular boards are easier to work with when arranging a classic cheese board. To really round out your board and add more flavor profiles, pick up a variety of fruits, nuts, and crackers or a fresh baguette to nestle in between the cheeses. I start by placing my larger items, like cheese and bread, and work my way inward with the smaller items like a handful of walnuts or a bunch of grapes. Bring a few cheese knives so other guests can easily snack on your work of art.
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Crate & Barrel
West Elm
Brunch Board
When was the last time you were able to sit down and savor a nice breakfast? I’m sure your other mom friends are feeling the same way. Whether you’re hosting a morning brunch or enjoying a breakfast meal during a themed girls’ night, a brunch board is sure to impress. If you’re in a time crunch, I personally recommend a pancake board adorned with a variety of fruits and spreads like Nutella, whipped cream, and pancake syrup. It gets the job done and is so nostalgic. But if you have the time, Chef Tracey recommends pairing waffles or French toast, arugula greens with tomatoes, fruit, a few slices of avocado toast, deviled eggs, croissants, cheese triangles, and blinis for a show-stopping breakfast spread. La Crema’s Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect pour to pair with this board, too. This wine provides a juicy finish with some vibrant acidity that balances out both savory and sweet brunch boards.
You’ll need a few items when preparing your breakfast board. Instead of a circular board, opt for a longer, rectangular board so your large items like pancakes, waffles, or French toast have enough room. Make sure to pick up a few other serving items, if you don’t have them on hand, like small bowls for fruit or spreads, and a mini syrup dispenser. Don’t forget to include a few serving spoons and knives for spreading butter and adding a dollop of fresh whipped cream.
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Crate & Barrel
West Elm
Williams Sonoma
Butter Board
Here’s the trendiest—and easiest-to-throw-together—board yet. Butter boards took the world by storm last year, and we can’t get enough of them. If you haven’t tried one (yet), they’re exactly what you’d imagine: you spread butter on a board with a couple of flavor fix-ins and assemble with crackers, bread, and any other dippable snacks you’d like. They’re very easy to customize with a variety of herbs, spices, and spreads, so the opportunities are endless with making a board that’ll impress your guests. For this one, pair spreadable butter with fresh figs, fig jam, and spicy paprika jelly. For your wine, Chef Tracey recommends a La Crema’s Monterey Pinot Gris or Monterey Rosé to cut through butter’s creamy, salty taste with a little bit of sweet wine. No matter which one you choose, she says to always avoid any chardonnays since they both have a buttery flavor profile that may seem a little overpowering when paired together.
For this board, you’ll want to avoid any wooden boards since the butter’s natural oils will seep into the wood and could potentially stain it. We recommend using a ceramic or slate slab board for easy cleanup—and it enhances the look since this board is pretty simple when it comes to presentation. Set out a few gold butter knives for easy spreading along with a basket of crackers or sliced bread. Always serve the butter board separately from the crackers and bread so they don’t get soggy.
La Crema
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La Crema
Use code LCEVERYMOM for 15% off + get free shipping when you buy four or more bottles!
Williams Sonoma
Dessert Board
If your girls’ night is after dinner, treat them to a sweet dessert board and a classic red wine to finish your night off the right way. Chef Tracey’s favorite dessert board consists of a mix of chocolates—both dark and milk—figs, berries, brie cheese, and grapes. Blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, cherries, and raspberries work well as add-ins too—simply choose whatever ingredients are most fresh at your local grocery store.
To pair with this board, Chef Tracey recommends setting aside a few bottles of La Crema’s Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. With hints of espresso and cocoa nib, this wine plays well with a rich, decadent board like this.
Serve your dessert board on a pretty platter, like the gorgeous one linked below. To up the presentation even more, place berries and chocolates inside mini wooden serving dishes to add visual appeal and color to your spread. If you’re serving brie alongside your sweet dessert bites, be sure to also set aside a cheese knife or place it directly into your cheese.
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Pottery Barn | Monique Lhuillier
Pottery Barn
Food Board Serving Tips
How big should my board be?
Chef Tracey thinks that a good rule of thumb is to serve two ounces of cheese, or whatever snack items you’re serving, per person. So, for example, if you’re serving 12 guests a cheese board, buy a total of at least 24 ounces of cheese or 1.5 pounds of cheese of various types. She recommends buying a little more—especially since you can repurpose your leftovers later.
Wondering how much wine you should pick up from the store? Chef Tracey’s rule of thumb is that you’ll need about one bottle per three to four people. But if your gals are big wine lovers, you may want to pick up an extra bottle or two just to be on the safe side. If you’re attending a larger gathering, follow this wine guide to determine how many bottles you should pick up from the store.
How to travel with your board and wine
If you’re the one traveling to girls’ night, it may seem tricky to balance a board while driving on your way over. To avoid any last-minute food disasters, Chef Tracey recommends assembling your board ahead of time and wrapping it in cellophane while transporting it. You’ll also want to let your cheeses sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes prior to serving to bring out their best flavor and texture.
Make sure you’re keeping your wine cool on the way over, too! Chef Tracey recommends chilling your wine before departure. If you’re traveling with a white wine, ask the host to set aside an ice bucket or wine chiller before you arrive so you can keep it cool as other guests start to trickle in. And if you have a long journey ahead of you, transport it in a cooler bag or an eco-friendly chiller bottle bag to avoid serving warm wine.
This post contains a sponsored inclusion of La Crema, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board.