Food Styling Charcuterie Boards Just Became More Elegant! "The pictures are beautiful, recipes are clear (and delicious), and provides so many insider tips! Can’t say enough good things and so glad I bought it. I even gifted some to my friends for the holidays! — Amazon review #1 New Release in Tablesetting & Cooking and Holiday Cooking Learn the art of food styling with olives, grapes, cheese, jam, crackers, nuts and other treats with Melissa Francis’ charcuterie board recipe book Boards and Bites . Be the hostess with the mostest! Learn the secrets of great food styling to elevate your charcuterie board creations. Boards and Bites is the perfect book for novice and experienced board creators alike. With accessible recipes and instructions, Melissa Francis shows readers how to create memorable spreads for every holiday party or festive occasion.  Beautiful charcuterie spreads all in one place! Display your wine, fruits, nuts, jam, cheese, and bread in the most pleasing way. Boards and Bites is full of accessible recipes, board building basics, and food styling techniques. Get the behind-the-scenes story of how and why Francis creates her lovely charcuterie boards while you create your own divine bites with this charcuterie board recipe book.  Inside, you’ll find: Food styling techniques that will highlight you as the hostess of the year - Step by step instructions on how to create beautiful charcuterie spreads  - Beautifully curated images of charcuterie boards with olives, grapes, cheese, and many other delicious treats If you enjoyed books like Charcuterie Board Cookbook , Everyday Entertaining , or Beautiful Boards , your next read should be Boards and Bites . “There’s no doubt that thoughtfully curated charcuterie boards are having a moment. In this book, Francis uses her wildest imagination to create delicious and attractive boards for parties, then breaks down her process to teach readers how to do the same. She started making charcuterie boards when she was a child to contribute to family gatherings and parties and sees boards as the perfect place to gather and connect. Throughout the book, with lots of photos, graphs, charts, and even a color wheel, Francis provides food styling tips and demonstrates how to use seasonal food, flowers, and herbs to create boards that satisfy all five senses. She also provides a time line, grocery list, and organizing tips to create a successful event. There are recipes for homemade dips and spreads and instructions for how to decorate a board for Christmas, Easter, or a spooky Halloween. There is even a section on ‘pupchuterie‘ boards for dogs. VERDICT: This book is a feast for the eyes. Perfect for home entertainers or professional party planners who want to go the extra mile to create a memorable charcuterie board.—Erin Dagenais.” —Erin Dagenais, Library Journal Mango Media Melissa Francis is the face behind the boards featured on her ever-growing IG platform @boardsbymelfran and is the author of Boards and Bites . In January 2020, charcuterie boards became her creative outlet and a way to bring her family and friends together in a meaningful way. Melissa received her Masters of Science from Chapman University in Communication Sciences and Disorders in 2021. She is currently a practicing Speech and Language Pathologist and loves what she does and the individuals she works with. 13 Rules to Cook By Before we dive into it,  I wanted to lay some ground rules that I personally try to live by in the kitchen. My lucky number has been number thirteen for as long as I can remember. I know that 13 is unlucky for most but when I was little my family told me that if/when I ever see the number 13 it is my granny checking in. Granny is my great grandmother who unfortunately passed away before I met her, but I have been told by countless people that  we are insanely similar. Since then, 13 has always brought me comfort-enough comfort that I have it tattooed on my foot (don’t tell Kfran aka my dad). So naturally, I needed to gather my thoughts and  create my 13 rules to cook by.   Here is the breakdown of my 13 rules to cook by:   1. No board is ever too big In my house the standard was never “less is more” rather “more is better”.  If you took a survey of every person to be a guest at my home I truly believe not one would say they left hungry. Food can be and mean so many things to people. For me, my family, and guests I believe that food has always made everyone feel insanely comfortable. In my book (omg literally in my book!) one of the greatest compliments for a host to receive is that your guests feel comfortable in your home. Comfort directly correlates to food because for the majority of people food is comfort. Food is a topic of discussion and all inclusive sensory experience. I was taught and continue to put into practice that making sure every guest has enough food to enjoy is and always should be a priority so no board really is ever too big. Ev