We’re officially in holiday season, folks! Between the shopping and the parties and the travel planning, it’s looking like a hectic one this year, and we’re right there with you. Sometimes, even with the greatest will in the world, you can’t help but feel stretched out of options for gifts and get-togethers; luckily, there are last-minute alternatives to save the day when time is really of the essence. The best hack when you’re near your wits end with ideas? A glorious cheese and charcuterie spread.
Equally stunning as a starter at your own hosted parties and a thoughtful gift for a loved one, a well-curated board is a certifiable crowd-pleaser. (And I know I’m not the only one who thinks so, as accounts like The Charcuterie Queen and The Charcuterie Chick provide jaw-dropping, mouth-watering inspo year-round.) For us muggles who don’t exactly have the talent, time, or budget to create a celeb-worthy grazing board from scratch, however — to quote the lovely, inimitable Ina Garten — store-bought is fine, and in that regard, Boarderie is as impressive as it gets.
I love Boarderie for those rare occasions I host and want apps that will knock my guests’ socks off (and make them think that I am, in fact, a supergenius in the kitchen). I also take full advantage of its overnight nationwide shipping (!) for any hard-to-please or last-minute additions to my Christmas list — in-laws, long-distance family, bosses, your kid’s fave teacher. Everything is available for online ordering and boards start around $129 for 2-3 people, so it’s great for groups. I also like them as a surprise hostess gift for close friends to help with any “snack gaps” between party courses or to liven up the mood during game night.
I am nothing if not a snacker, meaning when the holidays roll around, you can most certainly find me in my natural habitat: grazing and sampling all the best the party season has to offer. That said, if your stocking stuffer or gift card game needs extra help this year, I’m just saying: Cheese never disappoints!
Eunice Lucero-Lee is the Deputy Editor, Deals and Trends, for Best Products, Popular Mechanics, Runner’s World, Bicycling, and Biography. Her obsession with beauty and pop culture keeps her on top of the latest trends and viral online finds, which can also be seen in her work spearheading the Hearst Enthusiast Group’s sales and deals content. Her editorials have been featured in publications like Cosmopolitan, Esquire, The Numinous, woman&home, and Sparkling, among many others. A former music editor, she pioneered Asia’s first-ever English-helmed K-Pop magazine and has extensive experience with celebrity profiling and red-carpet reportage. She is based in Manhattan where she watches Scandi-noir crime procedurals with her cat.
