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I can’t resist a play on words, yet some are a real struggle for me to get behind. Hot Chocuterie Boards was a big one. I loved the concept—hot cocoa fixings, toppings and snacks, all arranged on a platter—but the name? It’s brilliantly close to charcuterie. So much so that I kept thinking of…hot meat and chocolate.

“Excuse me, madam, but would you care for some prosciutto atop your whipped cream? Perhaps with a salami swizzle stick?”

Not so appealing, right? (Nevermind the fact that I have no idea who would be addressing me so formally and why that image, in particular, is conjured.) I soon made peace with the name when I set up a board for a Mandalorian watch party (and by “watch party,” I mean Nate, Emerie and I hanging out at home). That’s the magic of the chocuterie board—it can make a mundane night in magical. And it’s pretty simple to throw together.

What's in a hot chocuterie board? Here's what!
Photos: Candace Braun Davison

Hot Chocuterie Board Ideas

But really, there’s no wrong way to go about it. (Unless, perhaps, you go with the “hot meat” angle.) Make it your own.