Build the Perfect Charcuterie Board with MFR Charcuterie
Meet Mary Frances Robertson
I met Mary Frances through mutual friends and instagram a couple months ago and had the honor of working with her to create a new logo for her company. She is a GEM and sees beauty wherever she is and has such a gift in curating boards and platters that cultivate conversation and friendship. I am so excited for you to hear a little about her entrepreneurial story and try your hand at creating one of her famous charcuterie boards.
I am so excited to be sharing what goes into making one of my charcuterie boards! Before I share, I wanted to tell y’all a little about my history with meat and cheese. I have always LOVED to entertain. In high school, my friends would come over and I would normally entertain them by providing a fun appetizer or even an acai bowl buffet. The summer after freshman year, I went to Camp Greystone and worked in the cooking department. In my time there, I continued to learn more about food and how it brings people together. By winter break of my sophomore year, I realized this was something I could do and be good at. I began by posting on Facebook and instantly had four or five orders in one day. I immediately began to research and decided what I wanted my boards to look like. I like for my boards to feel like a scavenger hunt! I currently create boards on actual wooden boards as well as to-go boxes for traveling! Several boards later and I am excited to be sharing the process of building a board!
Steps:
1. Take a trip to Trader Joe’s! This is not only my favorite grocery store, but is a gold mine for charcuterie! As I have said before, I like to make my boards like a scavenger hunt. With this being said, pick anything and everything you like to accessorize the board. Sometimes I even put candy!
2. Arrange the cheese on a board! You can have one cheese or five, it will still be beautiful.
3. Fold the meats! You will arrange them so they rest on either ends of the cheese. You could also say that the cheeses are the bookends for the meats! They help them stay up right.
4. Add crackers! I LOVE the fig crackers from Trader Joe’s! These are always a fan favorite and truly a classic.
5. Accessorize! You can seriously add anything! I like to add fruit, chocolate covered anything, nuts, etc. Sometimes I will add gummies or dried fruit!
6. Garnish! I like to add rosemary on each board! I love the green that it adds! Also, if the board is going to a party or for someone’s birthday, I like to add a few roses! It makes the board come to life!
7. Eat your creation!
I would love to help with your next board! I am available to create boards for parties and can also provide charcuterie classes for you and your friends to learn and take a box home! For more information on my boards and to-go boxes, DM @mfrcharcuterie or text (205) 317-4135!
After seeing MFR’s talent, take a sec to read up on how this girl boss went from Mary Frances Robertson to MFR Charcuterie. She’s a real, true queen and I’m excited for you to listen to her story.
What does a typical day look like for you?
A typical day for me is filled with avocado toast to start the day, always. Then, I normally get on my laptop and do some KD work and work on creating more content for social media! I LOVE to cook so I normally would end my day (ideally) cooking something yummy!
Where did you get the inspiration for your company?
I got inspiration from my love to entertain! Having people over and gathering around food is my favorite thing. If you asked any of my friends, they would all agree and say I am always the most extra for any "Bachelorette Finale." Over Christmas break, I realized that I could share my love for charcuterie boards to more people than just my friends. I decided to post on Facebook and from there, I had several orders! I decided this could be something for me to do and it kept me busy. Since then, I have loved it and love growing and meeting more people!
Why did you start it?
I started it to spread the joy that comes with sharing meaningful conversations over food! For me, I love gathering people I love and sharing things I also love!
How do you rest?
This is a great question! I normally am so busy, always going and doing literally everything. This time in quarantine has been a time for me to slow down, be still, and be humbled by this sudden stop in life. Prior to March was the busiest I had ever been in my life. I am seeing the gift that is this season and slowing down and I am grateful for it! With that being said, I rest by hanging with friends on the couch. I have loved the conversations I have had with my close friends over these past months and we are all seeing the silver lining in this pandemic. I am grateful for this time and these people!
What is the hardest part of running your own business?
TIME! Sometimes I want to hang with my friends or do other things, but I need to make boards! Pre-corona they would come over and help me and we would end up making a night out of it!! I love them!!
What is your favorite part?
The people!! It is always so fun when I get a text the next day that they loved their board! I also low-key LOVE the grocery store.
What is your favorite [product]?
Pepper Jelly from Trader Joe's! It is delicious!
If you could tell yourself anything before you started what would it be?
I would tell myself that it wasn't just a Christmas break hobby!
