Delicious charcuterie delights in a box by Platterea Luna

In case you’ve been hiding under a rock in the past year or two, one of the most popular food trends nowadays is charcuterie.

By definition, it is the art of preparing meat products such as bacon, ham, sausages, cold cuts and the like. Despite being originally intended as a way to preserve meat before refrigerators became prevalent, charcuterie today is enjoying a comeback among gastronomic circles as a way to showcase the flavor of the meats derived from the preservation process.

Parties and holiday get-togethers just have to have a table elegantly laden with preserved meats accompanied by cheeses, fruits, breads and wines that further enhance the meats’ flavors. These setups in which diners can take their aperitif of choice along with selected meats and cheeses have come to be known as grazing tables.

Taken visually, these sumptuously arranged grazing tables have come to represent the bounty of food or the generosity of the host. They often serve as conversation pieces at parties because of the beauty of their arrangement, while also encouraging guests to mingle while enjoying their food.

Something this wonderful can also be enjoyed at home through grazing platters that an Epicurean can put together for a small party or even a quiet time at home.

But with Platterea Luna’s stylishly assembled grazing boxes, there’s no need to trouble oneself in sourcing the elements for an elegant charcuterie experience. Each box is filled with a well-curated selection of meats, cheeses and accoutrements, well-suited for leisurely grazing on during a picnic or while binge-watching your favorite series at home.

Platterea Luna got its start when TV writer and producer Helen de Castro and her partner Christine Go, a medical doctor, decided to serve something different for her family to welcome the new year 2020. Being a lover of wine, cheese and other food pairings, she researched on setting up grazing tables and started gathering ingredients to assemble one for the family’s celebration.

On New Year’s Eve, she unveiled her first grazing table to her family. Impressed with her work and entertained by the novelty of the concept, her family started posting photos of the grazing table online.

This sparked an idea that this new skill can be the start of a new business.

Platterea Luna was formally announced on February 2, offering stylishly assembled gourmet grazing boxes just in time to get orders for the Valentine rush. The first batch of grazing boxes were delivered to excited recipients on Valentine’s Day.

Through all the doubts and frenetic activity involved in launching her new venture, Helen is kept strong by the support of her family and friends, as well as in her love for her business.

‘They say “Do something that you’re passionate about and you wouldn’t have to work a day in your life, ‘” she shares. ‘I’ve always loved wines and cheeses. Aside from gaining pounds, I never knew how this interest would benefit me. During the development stage of the business, I was always so excited with the thought of assembling the ingredients in the boxes. There’s this satisfaction I get when I see the finished product. It’s as if I’m creating art. And I love art. Seeing all these colors and flavours in one box makes me giddy. At the end of the day, it’s all about doing what you love so you can put your whole heart into it.”

Platterea Luna’s elegant grazing boxes come in four variants:

Solo Box: contains one gourmet cheese and one cured meat and various accoutrements. Good for one person, it’s perfect for leisurely snacking on during a quiet evening at home.

Small Box: contains one gourmet cheese and two cured meats, various accoutrements and one 187mL bottle of wine. Good for two persons, it’s best enjoyed during a romantic outdoors picnic date.

Medium Box: contains two gourmet cheeses and three cured meats, various accoutrements and one 187mL bottle of wine. Good for three to six people, it can serve as the fuel for a family’s weekend-long Netflix binge-fest.

Large Box: contains two gourmet cheeses and three cured meats and various accoutrements. Good for seven to ten people, it’s perfect for parties and can even be a social gathering’s conversation piece.

My Platterea Luna medium box did sustain my family and me through the hours we spent on a Crash Landing on You marathon during a long weekend. While I was shedding copious amounts of tears over Yoon Seri and Ri Jeong-hyuk’s travails, I was sustained and comforted by the delicious contents of my grazing box. These included meats such as Salami Milano, Peppered Ham and Lyoner, as well as Brie and Provolone cheeses along with accoutrements which consist of fresh and dried fruit, nuts, pretzels and chocolate almond sticks and a small bottle of French red wine.

To get your hands on a lovely Platterea Luna grazing box, course your order through Platterea Luna’s Facebook page or Instagram account, or call +63 977 8211591.

Disclosure: Product sample was provided to enable an honest review. Charcuterie board pictured above were assembled from the contents of the Platterea Luna medium box.

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