Columbus Craft Meats encourages charcuterie fans to get creative with Mother's Day bouquets

The brand has all the flavors and artisan products for board-building needs, available at retailers nationwide.

With Mother’s Day right around the corner, many are likely wondering how to make the day special for the moms in their lives. California-based Columbus Craft Meats, a deli brand, is here to help with a food-inspired twist on a classic Mother’s Day gesture: flowers. People can surprise their moms this year with a charcuterie board adorned with easy-to-make salami roses — or another deli meat, if she prefers — as recommended by Evan Inada, charcuterie/partnerships director at Columbus Craft Meats, a member of the Hormel Foods family.

“Who doesn’t love homemade gifts?” Inada asked. “I can’t think of a better way to celebrate this special occasion than with a delicious treat prepared by your loved ones. My daughter and I frequently arrange food bouquets in our house, and it’s a great activity to do together. Plus, we get to eat our work ... ”

Creating a charcuterie board is a way to make something personal. Columbus Craft Meats makes shopping for a charcuterie board easy, as the brand has all the flavors and artisan products for board-building needs, available at retailers nationwide.

"Mom" charcuterie. Photo courtesy of Hormel Foods Corp.

“Every charcuterie board is focused on five categories: meat, cheese, acid, crunch and a sweet ‘wow’ factor,” Inada said. “When shopping for your board, keeping those five categories in mind can help ensure a balanced flavor profile, but don’t be afraid to let your kids choose items they think mom will love.”

For the meats, medium-diameter Italian dry salami and a larger-diameter Genoa or soppressata make for easy rose folding, while a full-muscle salumi item like coppa or prosciutto adds elegance to the board. Pick mom’s favorite when choosing cheeses. Add some flare with a brie or mascarpone, and then add a firmer cheese like cheddar, Gouda or mimollette to cut out shapes for your board. For acidity, include fresh fruits such as green grapes, strawberries and gooseberries, or other items with vibrant colors. Add fruit/nut crackers and milder crackers that play well with the rich and creamy flavors on the board for crunch. An option is to also toss plain nuts in turbinado sugar and dried lavender to add a unique flavor. Finally, add fresh flowers, chocolates or even honeycomb for that sweet “wow” factor.

When creating the salami roses, begin by folding all the salami slices in half, as shown here. There are three ways to fold a rose, each of which is easy enough for kids to do:

The easiest way is to fold all the salami in half, then line them up like a tower on top of each other, then roll them from the bottom and secure with a toothpick.
Another method is to get a small-rimmed wine glass and fold each full salami over the rim until you can flip it over and place it on the board.
A third option is to start with one twisted “rose” and work from the inside to the outside, folding half-fold salami and then placing them in a small cup to hold their form.

Once the salami roses are complete, decorate them with green grapes, thyme or rosemary to create the rose look on the board, and place them next to the brie wheel with a cookie-cutter heart cutout.

“You can do no wrong,” Inada said. “Just have fun with it ... ”

Columbus Craft Meats encourages fans to share their Mother’s Day creations with the brand by tagging Columbus Craft Meats on social media channels.