NATIONAL DESSERT DAY: Chocolate Charcuterie Board

Every day is dessert day at my house-- chocolate dessert. So for National Dessert Day, if you’re looking for a few fun ideas to put together a sweet surprise for your next party, check out this guide from Shari’s Berries on Dessert Charcuterie Boards. One of the best ways to satisfy your guests and introduce them to some of your favorite treats is with a dessert charcuterie board! Whether you prefer a traditional mix of flavors or bits based on a certain theme, build your board with a variety of sweets. Opt for candy such as chocolates or gummy bears or go big with brownie bites and cupcakes.

Shari's Berries:

Before you create your dessert charcuterie board, you need to choose a theme! Your favorite flavor combinations or a certain ingredient like a specific candy or fruit can help inspire your board’s theme. Once you’ve chosen a theme, consider what ingredients will add visual interest and texture to your dessert platter. If you’re not sure what to include, these dessert charcuterie board recipes will give you a place to start!

Fruit Lover 
Enjoy fresh fruit paired with creamy melted chocolate for a sweet surprise! An assortment of dried fruits and berry kabobs are perfect to dip into a melted mound of chocolate. A side of brie and fruit crackers are perfect for pairing with tangy and bold fruit flavors. Add in a handful of hand-dipped cherries to top off this candied board.

Sweet and Salty 
Satisfy both of your cravings at the same time with this dessert charcuterie board. Compile savory snacks like crunchy bacon and salted nuts to pair with a mixed hazelnut and chocolate spread. Dark chocolate with sea salt and chocolate potato chips are also great options to wake up your tastebuds!

Charcuterie Board Styling Tips 
Using the right size boards and utensils will make assembling and serving that much easier! Before you begin, choose the right size board to display your treats on. Place the necessary bowls and utensils on before adding food to assess how much space is left over and then add in your other ingredients around this. If space allows, place extra ingredients such as sauces and dips on the outside of the board. Last but not least, make sure to add in some color! A mix of bright shades will attract the eyes of your guests, but it will be the fun flavor combinations that keep them coming back!

Experiment! Enjoy!

DESSERT CHARCUTERIE BOARD: National Dessert Day

Today is National Dessert Day. Isn't every day Dessert Day? With this mind, I'm particularly fond of a good charcuterie board. Well here's a twist on that! This Desert Charcuterie Board is one of the best ways to satisfy your guests and introduce them to some of your favorite treats! Whether you prefer a traditional mix of flavors or bits based on a certain theme, build your board with a variety of sweets. Opt for candy such as chocolates or gummy bears or go big with brownie bites and cupcakes.

If you’re looking for a few fun ideas to put together a sweet surprise for your next party, check out this guide from Shari’s Berries on Dessert Charcuterie Board ideas.

Shari's Berries:

Before you create your dessert charcuterie board, you need to choose a theme! Your favorite flavor combinations or a certain ingredient like a specific candy or fruit can help inspire your board’s theme. Once you’ve chosen a theme, consider what ingredients will add visual interest and texture to your dessert platter. If you’re not sure what to include, these dessert charcuterie board recipes will give you a place to start!

Fruit Lover 
Enjoy fresh fruit paired with creamy melted chocolate for a sweet surprise! An assortment of dried fruits and berry kabobs are perfect to dip into a melted mound of chocolate. A side of brie and fruit crackers are perfect for pairing with tangy and bold fruit flavors. Add in a handful of hand-dipped cherries to top off this candied board.

Sweet and Salty 
Satisfy both of your cravings at the same time with this dessert charcuterie board. Compile savory snacks like crunchy bacon and salted nuts to pair with a mixed hazelnut and chocolate spread. Dark chocolate with sea salt and chocolate potato chips are also great options to wake up your tastebuds!

Charcuterie Board Styling Tips 
Using the right size boards and utensils will make assembling and serving that much easier! Before you begin, choose the right size board to display your treats on. Place the necessary bowls and utensils on before adding food to assess how much space is left over and then add in your other ingredients around this. If space allows, place extra ingredients such as sauces and dips on the outside of the board. Last but not least, make sure to add in some color! A mix of bright shades will attract the eyes of your guests, but it will be the fun flavor combinations that keep them coming back!

Experiment! Enjoy!

WINE AND DONUT PAIRINGS: National Donut Day

Today is National Donut Day, and, yes, you'd be right if you said you already celebrated National Doughnut Day on the first Friday in June. There are actually two days. Today's holiday is a second more or less official Donut Day depending on your sources. According to food holiday historian John Bryan Hopkins, who cataloged several fringe holidays for his site Foodimentary beginning in 2006, mentions of the November Doughnut Day could be found as early as the 1930s in copies of Ladies' Home Journal. Hopkins speculated that the November 5 date is close enough to Veterans Day on November 11 that a retail outlet likely introduced the date to acknowledge their service.

But donuts are good any day, and to celebrate today's holiday I have a guest post from Julissa Arangure-Garcia on pairing donuts with sweet and savory wines!  This post originally appeared on the Shari's Berries blog and shared from Julissa with a new introduction.

JULISSA ARANGURE-GARCIA:

Let’s be honest, wine was made to be paired with desserts. From wine and chocolate pairings to baking with wine (pinot noir chocolate cake anyone?), wine and desserts are a dynamic duo. Get creative at your next party or event and try pairing the sweet notes of a glass of wine with some sugary delicious donut flavors.

Shari’s Berries has the ultimate wine and donut pairings to help you create mouth-watering combinations. The guide also includes an overview of what flavor notes you’ll taste and what personality the combo is best for. Take a look and find which donut and wine pairing was made for you!

Wine and Donut Pairing Guide

Chocolate Dessert Charcuterie Board: Shari's Berries Guest Post

One of the best ways to satisfy your guests and introduce them to some of your favorite treats is with a dessert charcuterie board! Whether you prefer a traditional mix of flavors or bits based on a certain theme, build your board with a variety of sweets. Opt for candy such as chocolates or gummy bears or go big with brownie bites and cupcakes.

If you’re looking for a few fun ideas to put together a sweet surprise for your next party, check out this guide from Shari’s Berries on Dessert Charcuterie Board ideas.

Shari's Berries:

Before you create your dessert charcuterie board, you need to choose a theme! Your favorite flavor combinations or a certain ingredient like a specific candy or fruit can help inspire your board’s theme. Once you’ve chosen a theme, consider what ingredients will add visual interest and texture to your dessert platter. If you’re not sure what to include, these dessert charcuterie board recipes will give you a place to start!

Fruit Lover 
Enjoy fresh fruit paired with creamy melted chocolate for a sweet surprise! An assortment of dried fruits and berry kabobs are perfect to dip into a melted mound of chocolate. A side of brie and fruit crackers are perfect for pairing with tangy and bold fruit flavors. Add in a handful of hand-dipped cherries to top off this candied board.

Sweet and Salty 
Satisfy both of your cravings at the same time with this dessert charcuterie board. Compile savory snacks like crunchy bacon and salted nuts to pair with a mixed hazelnut and chocolate spread. Dark chocolate with sea salt and chocolate potato chips are also great options to wake up your tastebuds!

Charcuterie Board Styling Tips 
Using the right size boards and utensils will make assembling and serving that much easier! Before you begin, choose the right size board to display your treats on. Place the necessary bowls and utensils on before adding food to assess how much space is left over and then add in your other ingredients around this. If space allows, place extra ingredients such as sauces and dips on the outside of the board. Last but not least, make sure to add in some color! A mix of bright shades will attract the eyes of your guests, but it will be the fun flavor combinations that keep them coming back!

Experiment! Enjoy!

How to Pair Chocolate with Fruit

Dipping fruits in chocolate is a greatidea (well, anything dipped in chocolate is). Not only do you get your fruit intake for the day, but you also satisfy your sweet tooth!  But it isn't as simple as you may think. Certain fruits pair well with certain chocolates and it can get a bit confusing.

That's why Shari's Berries decided to make the experience a bit easier by creating a Fruit and Chocolate Pairing Guide. It features 24 fruits combined with either white, dark, or milk chocolate and provides topping suggestions for each. Have you ever tried white chocolate dipped oranges with pecans? Or honeydew with dark chocolate and a hint of mint? Then what are you waiting for? Your taste buds will thank you.

Thanks, Shari's Berries for this awesome chart and introduction!

National Chocolate Day!!

Today is a celebration! National Chocolate Day!! Well, every day is a chocolate holiday on DyingforChocolate.com, as you probably know by reading this blog. Even holidays that celebrate other foods, usually can include chocolate, and over the years, I've posted so many recipes and reviews!

I'm bound to have a post later today, but in the meantime, Shari's Berries has a great round-up of 30 Ways to Celebrate National Chocolate Day, including DyingforChocolate's own Blue Cheese Truffles for Moldy Cheese Day.

Check out this round-up, HERE.