Tags: charcutuerie chocolate chip cookie diy how to cut a dragon fruit how to make charcuterie how to make dalonga cofee Indoor picnic instagrammable food mocktail the picky princess Toronto foodie
Easy tricks for charcuterie lovers that are perfect for Instagram and TikTok
Just because we’re at home doesn’t mean that we can’t still enjoy lovely things like a charcuterie filled dreamy picnic! Don’t be intimidated by the charcuterie girls of Instagram and TikTok. Creating your dream indoor picnic is easy. Read my how to’s and tips below.
To create the perfect comfy nook, I literally grabbed the duvet from my bed and threw it on the carpeted floors of my hallway. Pick an area that gets a lot of light. I picked a spot directly underneath the skylight. I then went and grabbed a few decorative pillows to add a comfy touch. Decorative pillows are up to your own taste. I personally love this tassled cushion cover from H&M.
How To Prepare Your Charcuterie Board
The trick to making a picnic look impressive while also making sure you’re not wasting a lot of food? Use smaller plates to disperse your food, instead of displaying everything onto one board. That way you’re not all fighting over the same plate. I actually collect an assortment of plates just for this reason. I have my eye on this cheese plate. What you choose to put onto your board is totally up to you! I love anchovies so I put them whole on (looks nicer). I also chose to lay out my foods descending by colour but also by saltiness. I usually include prosciutto, but only had salami at that time. Growing up watching Nigela Lawson, I learned to slice my prosciutto into strips with a pair of kitchen shears. Once those are done, curl them over each other so that they look loose and bountiful. I used an assortment of cheese which included some lactose free options. I like to keep my brie as a large wedge from a big wheel to create a contrast. If you aren’t sure what meats to buy, you can find “charcuterie” assorted variety packs in the grocery store. I picked up a few of my cheese from a costco variety pack and others from the regular grocery store.
How To Make A Dragon Fruit Bowl
Something that is super easy to do but looks bountiful is a dragon fruit bowl! think of your dragonfruit as a really big kiwi. You can use a melon baller if you want little marble gems of fruit. I sliced it in half and removed the meat as a whole half with a spoon (like a kiwi), and cubed it. The skin is the perfect vessel for the fruit to be displayed in. We don’t get the pink meat dragon fruit in Toronto, but I have seen it in Taiwan.
Quick & Pretty Yogurt
I love having a large clear glass mug on hand. It’s perfect for showcasing soups, teas, and yogurts. I layered in 3/4 cup of lactose free greek yogurt, topped it with mango chunks and drizzled honey over it.
How To Make Cloud Bread
Cloud bread is actually pretty easy to make if you have a stand mixer. You need egg whites, sugar and cornstarch. Add a bit of vanilla to your cloud bread, or else it will just taste like egg whites. To get this electric blue colour, I used gel food colouring on 1/2 of my meringue mixture. I used the same technique when creating a marble cake.
Spoon a layer of your coloured meringue down on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Alternate on top of that layer between the white and blue batter to create layers of clouds.
The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie
I recently stumbled upon one of the best chocolate chip cookie recipes for a picnic. These crispy and soft centred delicacies are the brain child of my favourite food blogger Chef John, from foodwishes.com! I like to display my cookies as a cookie stack under a cloche. It gives your guests an extra interactive element.
Pretty Instagrammable Drinks
The drink that took TikTok by storm was the Dalonga coffee. It’s literally so easy to make! Take 1 part instant coffee (I do 1 TBSP) and whip it with 1 part room temperature water. I like to add sugar and a bit of vanilla before I whip. Even though it’s a small amount, you need to do large motions while whisking in order to incorporate enough air quickly and effectively. My sister Sweets by Mel gave me this tip because she spotted me whisking frantically like a mad woman. She literally studied food sciences and did a year at a pastry school— trust her on this.
The purple drink is actually a magical colour changing drink! It starts blue, and with a touch of acid from the lemon, it gradually turns purple. I added a small spoonful of Blue Peaflower Powder with honey to taste. I then dissolved it in a little bit of hot water. I then filled the glass with ice, and poured carbonated water to the top, and added a slice of lemon to the rim.
Sit Back And Enjoy Your Indoor Picnic
The most important tip is to sit back and enjoy. Make the things that you want to eat! Swap out the cookies for lemon bars if you like them more. Instead of putting the dragon fruit back into the fruit bowl, create a smoothie bowl instead! You can can even use the Blue Peaflower Powder to colour your smoothie. Enjoy your time at home. Sit back and relax. Don’t forget to take a lot of pictures.
