Over the weekend I popped into Aldi to see if their delicious German curried herring was in stock (alas, no such luck) and saw an entire display devoted to charcuterie supplies, reminding me of a recent e-mail from Everyday Kitchen (552 E. Market Street, Louisville) containing staff’s top five tips on “how to make the perfect charcuterie board.”

  1. Pick your proteins: A variety of two to four proteins is ideal, depending on how many people you’re feeding. The culinary team at Everyday Kitchen’s go-to choices are prosciutto, chorizo, salami, and ham.
  2. Get cheesy: (This is the best part, obviously.) We suggest including at least three types of cheese: one soft, one hard, and one with a fun twist – think blueberry goat cheese or tomato-basil cheddar.
  3. Dips & Spreads: Aim for at least one savory and one sweet option. Everyday Kitchen loves using hot honey, fresh preserves, and stone-ground mustard. The sky is the limit.
  4. Carbs, Carbs & Carbs
    Whether you choose simple water crackers, artisan bread, or a mixture of both, you really can’t go wrong here. For a lighter alternative, grab some fresh carrots or peppers.
  5. Garnish & Plate
    This is your chance to get creative. Add fresh herbs or fruit for a pop of color, dark chocolate for some sweetness, or nuts for some variety.

Casual observers might have missed Everyday Kitchen’s affiliation with the Lodgic Everyday Community. Community service at Lodgic Everyday Community means offering various forms of fully equipped co-working space as well as flexible child care for today’s new breed of untethered on-demand worker, along with event coordination and other related services.

These include the aforementioned Everyday Kitchen and also Everyday Kitchen Cafe, the breakfast-and-lunch foil to Everyday Kitchen’s upscale dinner dining environment. Meals are provided not only to the general public, but for anyone involved with Lodgic’s outreach who happens to be hungry.

“Everyday Kitchen, Reimagined” — with a new menu coming on July 26

Consequently, with the holiday season upon us, it’s helpful to know that Lodgic Everyday gift cards can be used across all the components of the NuLu location — Everyday Kitchen Cafe and Everyday Kitchen, Lodgic Events, Lodgic Workplace, and Lodgic Kids Camp. Gift cards can be purchased on-site or online.

Note also that proceeds are reinvested into the community to support children, working families and small businesses.