See The Gingerbread House Alternatives Being Made Of Meat And Cheese
The wonderful thing about holiday traditions that are passed down in each of our families is the evolution of those traditions they undergo from generation to generation. The most recent trend that has been circulating on Pinterest and other social media sites takes the adaptation of the classic Gingerbread house construction to a whole new level. As if it was airing on Property Brothers, Curb Appeal, Rehab Addict, or Design on a Dime, the Gingerbread house is getting a home makeover and being transformed into a charcuterie house.
When I was a child, there was no better sensation than walking into my grandmother’s house during the Holiday season. The aromatic smell of recently baked holiday goodies permeated throughout the house. Glancing over at the dining room table it resembled the first day of work on a construction site with the building materials in piles waiting to be assembled by the crew. We would become anxious as we waited for what felt like hours but was more like a few short minutes until Grandma sat down at the head of the table, which was akin to the shift whistle sounding off at the work site.
With the latest adaptation of a holiday classic, people are ditching the gingerbread walls, sugar gumdrops, Hershey’s kisses, candy canes, and white vanilla frosting. They are being replaced by smoked summer sausage, cheddar cheese, salami, breadsticks, beer cheese, Ritz crackers, or any other Charcuterie board items your little heart desires. It’s even evolved from just a house to include landscaping with broccoli bushes, pistachio Christmas trees, cheese wreaths, burrata snowmen, and anything your imagination can conjure up.
According to Taste of Home, some of the attributes of the Salami Shack, “This adorable cheese house has hedges made of broccoli and precious pretzel windows. Don’t miss this guide to making a Christmas tree charcuterie board and a wreath-shaped Christmas charcuterie board, too!”
There are some creative new nicknames for the charcuterie house like the Salami Shack, Rustic Charcuterie Chalet, Charcuterie A-Frame, Charcuterie Cabin, or Charcuterie Chateau. The one thing that is more important than the name of the structure or the type of materials used to give it a solid foundation. The activity itself and the action of spending time with the workers, aka children, and cherishing every moment you get to share with them.
Over time we were promoted from entry-level carpenter to either shift supervisor or structural engineer with the hope of passing down our knowledge to our little apprentices. These will be the memories our children or grandchildren will carry on of us long after we are gone. They will tell their grandkids about the masterfully crafted picketed fence made from beef sticks, the elegant touch of crumbled jack cheese standing in for snow in this winter wonderland, or the structural integrity the breadsticks provide for the weight of salted salami shingled roof.
Another Taste of Home description about a Charcuterie A-Frame reads, “This chateau has an adorable snowman out front, made of creamy burrata. We’re obsessed with this miniature charcuterie snowman. Plus, the olive bushes and walnuts added to the roof are an extra nice touch.”
This time of year may have some of the best foods but the underlying theme of the holiday season always starts and ends with family. Stop by the deli section of your local grocery store and get out your building manifest and get those family-favorite savory materials so that construction can start on your very own charcuterie house masterpiece. When finished it will be heralded as a modern marvel of engineering that will be adored by all the little workers that helped create it and that is a sure win for the holidays.
