Summer Aperitif: 15 Fresh Ideas with Charcuterie

The summer aperitif happens outdoors, late, and without an oven. Dry-cured charcuterie is its best ally: it is eaten at room temperature, cut at the last minute and goes with everything fresh, melon, tomato, herbs. Here are 15 ideas, and the three rules to keep the board going in the heat.

Three rules for charcuterie on the terrace

• Take it out 30 minutes before, not two hours as in winter: at 30 °C, saucisson fat turns translucent and lomo starts to sweat.
• Slice as you go: a whole saucisson on the board, a knife, and everyone cuts when they want. Thin slices (lomo, Serrano) come out on small plates.
• A marble or slate platter chilled in the fridge stays cool for a good hour.

All about storage: how to store saucisson sec.

15 fresh ideas

1. Melon and Catalan fuet: melon cubes, thin slices of fuet, mint, cocktail sticks.
2. Pan con tomate and Serrano: toasted bread, rubbed tomato, olive oil, Serrano TSG.
3. Gazpacho shots with a cube of mild PGI chorizo.
4. Lomo roll-ups with cream cheese, cucumber and dill.
5. Cherry tomato, mozzarella and saucisson skewers.
6. Watermelon, feta and fuet salad in small bowls.
7. Ricotta toasts with ribbons of raw courgette and Serrano.
8. Quinoa tabbouleh with diced mild chorizo.
9. Pinchos with grilled pepper, anchovy and chorizo.
10. Cold wraps: tortilla, hummus, lomo, rocket, rolled and cut into bites.
11. Fresh figs and Auvergne saucisson: half a fig, a slice of saucisson, a drop of honey.
12. Vegetable crisps and tapenade.
13. Homemade marinated olives (garlic, lemon zest, thyme).
14. Mini sandwiches with soft white bread, salted butter, Auvergne ham and gherkin.
15. Fruit skewers to finish.

The summer box

For a terrace aperitif for 4 to 6, the Box Classique (saucisson, award-winning dry sausage, mild chorizo, fuet), or the Box Ibérique for a tapas night. For holidays with several families, the Box XXL. All our aperitif boxes ship vacuum-packed within 24 to 48 hours, even in summer: dry-cured meats travel well.

What to drink

Well-chilled rosé with fuet and melon, dry white with lomo and Serrano, lager with chorizo, and a tinto de verano (red wine, lemonade, ice) for a Spanish touch. All the pairings: which wine with charcuterie.

Frequently asked questions

Can dry-cured charcuterie handle the heat?
Yes, for one to two hours in the shade. Avoid direct sun and put the rest back in the fridge after the aperitif.

Which charcuterie for a light summer aperitif?
Lomo (the leanest cut), thinly sliced Serrano and fuet, paired with fruit and raw vegetables.

Can charcuterie be delivered in midsummer?
Yes, our products are dry-cured and vacuum-packed. They travel without a cold chain.

More ideas all year round: finger-food dinner, 25 easy ideas and how to host a tapas night.