Build your own charcuterie chalet

Back in the Dark Age of late 2020, I posted about a new trend that was poised to sweep the world: charcuterie chalets, a savory twist on gingerbread houses. Made from meat, cheese, crackers, pretzels, and other savory items held together with cream cheese glue, these offered a break from the traditional gingerbread house plus it required no baking or making royal icing or caramel. I didn’t hear much more about these until they recently popped up in my social media feed. TikTok has resurrected the trend, with one viral video garnering over 4.9 million views.

Diving back into this idea, I discovered that a company called Edible Architecture is making charcuterie chalet kits, making it easier than ever to try your hand at building the cheesy, meaty castle of your dreams. Edible Architecture is a creative project developed by Avital Ungar, founder of Avital Food & Drink Experiences. The complete kits are currently sold out, but more may be on the way. You can also purchase just the cracker chalet pieces and add your own meat and cheese decorations.

For a slightly different take on the term charcuterie chalet, head to Chicago December 4-5, where Aldi is holding a charcuterie chalet immersive experience. Inside the free exhibit (tickets are offered on a first come, first served basis) shoppers will experience “cozy, ski lodge vibes…with wall-to-wall charcuterie” including displays of themed charcuterie boards including one chalet along with an ugly sweater board and mini boards that can be used as drink toppers. Can’t make it to Chicago? Aldi is teaming up with DoorDash to feature preset shopping lists so you can recreate the displays at home.