What’s not to love about fall? The leaves change colors, the weather cools down, and best of all, you get to indulge in your favorite fall treats. Tacoma Boys is a big fan of seasonal sweets which is why we have put together this guide to our favorite fall treats! Indulging in treats that have all of fall’s favorite flavors and seasonal produce is a favorite pastime. From apples to pears, caramel, figs, and of course, pumpkin spice and everything nice.

Tacoma Boys’ Favorite Fall Treats

Lucky for you, Tacoma Boys carries a wide variety of fall treats. These include: baked goods, candy, yogurt, syrups, popcorn, and more. The array of favorite fall treats will last you the entire season and are perfect for holiday parties, family movie nights, hosting and more.

Baked Goods for the Fall Win

There’s just something about baking during a new season that brings so much warmth into the household. Whether it’s the glorious smell while a pie is baking, the smile on kids’ faces when they see their favorite seasonal sweets, or simply the joy that comes from pouring love into baked goods. It’s one of Tacoma Boys’ favorite seasonal activities! Baked goods have a way of bringing family and friends together which is something you can’t beat.

Cyrus O’Leary’s Pumpkin Pie

If you’re looking for a great pumpkin pie but don’t have the time to whip one up from scratch, Cyrus O’Leary’s is a great option. These pies have won 168 first place awards at the National Pie Championships! They can be found in Tacoma Boys’ freezer section so you can easily store in your freezer at home until ready to eat. The best part? All you have to do is allow the pie to thaw in the fridge for 24 hours, slice, and serve! We suggest topping it with some fresh whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon. However, if you’re feeling adventurous, we recommend this pumpkin pie recipe by the Modern Honey. 

Flax 4 Life Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Nothing beats the combination of apples and cinnamon, and these muffins are no exception! Flax 4 Life muffins are great for those with a gluten allergy or dairy allergy. In addition to being gluten free and dairy free, these muffins are high in fiber, omega 3’s, and pack the ultimate flavor punch. They are a great grab n go breakfast option along with freshly brewed coffee. They also make the perfect snack for you or your kid’s lunches. Did we mention they taste amazing?! 

Chuckanut Bay Salted Caramel Cheesecake – Tacoma Boys Style

Salted caramel is one of our favorite fall flavors. Although it can be considered a year-round flavor, Tacoma Boys is a big fan of pairing it with cinnamon, pumpkin, apples, and more. These mini cheesecakes are found in the freezer section and can be easily thawed. If you’re feeling adventurous, we suggest topping these bad boys with freshly caramelized fruit. Below is a simple recipe to give this cheesecake the ultimate fall flare. 

Spiced Caramelized Apples

Ingredients – to top one mini cheesecake 

• 1/2 apple – thinly sliced – see our fall apple guide here
• 1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1/2 tbsp butter
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of nutmeg

Directions

1. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and add the maple syrup, butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
2. Once melted, lower the heat to medium low and add your apples. 
3. Allow to cook for 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes until apples are softened. 
4. Allow to cool if desired and pour over Chuckanut Bay Salted Caramel Mini Cheesecake.

Seasonal Sweets for the Soul

Although baked goods may be hard to beat, Tacoma Boys is stocked with additional seasonal sweets that are oh so good for the soul. 

Fall Family Fun

Concord Fresh Success Caramel Apple Wrap

Who doesn’t love a good caramel apple?! These caramel apple wraps are a great way to get kids involved in making their own treats. The package comes with five wraps and is easy to assemble – and eat! 

Pamela’s Baking & Pancake Mix 

Tacoma Boys carries a large variety of pancake mixes, but this one is a favorite! It’s gluten free, but you wouldn’t be able to tell. Making pancakes is another fantastic family activity. Tacoma Boys’ fall pancake tip – top them with Tacoma Boys Apple Cinnamon Syrup – you won’t regret it!

For the Fall Munchies

Everyone gets the munchies every now and then which means you should be stocked with your favorite fall treats! Tacoma Boys top fall snacks are: Purely Elizabeth Pumpkin Cinnamon Granola, Seneca Caramel Apple Chips, Tacoma Boys Golden Caramel Corn Nuggets, and of course, Ellenos Pumpkin Real Greek Yogurt.

As fall quite literally ‘falls’ upon us, it’s the perfect time to get geared up for the holidays. If you love to host, Tacoma Boys has an easy guide to help you build the perfect fall charcuterie board that is sure to impress guests. Are you familiar with charcuterie? If not, have no fear! According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the French word charcuterie translates to cold cuts, or cured meat in English. These meats are typically served on a wooden board and are accompanied by various cheeses and grazing foods.

What’s great about this appetizer is that it is completely customizable for any occasion. In this case, we’d say the new season deserves the perfect fall charcuterie board in its honor, wouldn’t you agree?! A charcuterie board may be the easiest and most impressive appetizer you can set out at a party. Depending on the way you arrange it, the visual of the board can be quite stunning – some might even say, “Instagram worthy”. 

How to Start Building Your Fall Charcuterie Board

Firstly, when building an appetizer board, there’s a wide variety of ingredients you can choose from to create the ultimate fall charcuterie board. Secondly, pairing in-season produce with complimentary cheeses, cured meats, and seasonal toppers like fruit jam and spreads will keep your guests coming back for more. It’s important to play around with different textures and ensure there is a good combination of savory and sweet. Lucky for you, Tacoma Boys has everything you need – including great deals – to help you build the perfect fall charcuterie board!

Choose Your Meat 

There is an amazing selection of cured meats and cold cuts to choose from at Tacoma Boys. We love the salty flavor profile the meats bring to the boards and how versatile they can be when it comes to pairing them with other foods. We suggest choosing 2-3 different charcuterie meats for your board. A few different cured meats we are loving for a fall charcuterie board are:

Elevation Artisan Meats

We love these charcuterie meats because they are made with so much creativity and incredible flavors. We suggest the black pepper salami made with peppercorns and red wine, or the salami made with sea salt and black summer truffles. We must warn you though, you should be careful to not eat it all before placing it on your board! 

Brooklyn Cured

Brooklyn Cured is a small batch charcuterie brand that packs a punch when it comes to flavor. The smoked beef salami is a New York City deli style meat that was created with inspiration from New York delis and their history. Their bresaola is another great option for a fall charcuterie board as its air dried beef, similar to prosciutto, but made with beef as opposed to pork. Adding a unique cured meat made with beef will really elevate your appetizer.

Columbus Craft Meats

We carry a wide selection of Columbus Craft Meats! Some of our favorites to add to a charcuterie board are prosciutto, genoa salami, and the peppered salami. The peppered salami brings a subtle amount of heat and is great when paired with nuts, dried fruit, and fig jam!

Select Your Cheese

In our opinion, cheese is in the top three most important ingredients for a fall charcuterie board. Tacoma Boys carries a very large selection so you have plenty choices to choose from to ensure a perfect board. Some of our favorite choices are: Apple Farms Smoked Gouda, Beecher’s Flagship Handmade Cheese, Hoffman’s Vermont Cheddar, and. Henri Hutin Brie Couronne, and Montchevre Blueberry Vanilla Goat Cheese. We recommend always having at least one soft cheese such as brie or goat cheese. 

Pick Your Crackers

Finishing off our top 3 ingredients for a charcuterie board is crackers, bread, breadsticks, and more. Having this component for people to use as a base for their cured meats, cheese, and fruits. As a result, it adds great texture. Right now we are loving: I Grissini Del Vecchio Palone Crispy Breadsticks with olive oil and Tacoma Boys French Baguette Chips. If you’re looking for a gluten free option, Simple Mills has a fantastic line of grain free crackers.

Finish with Fall Produce and Local Favorites

Sweet

After you’ve decided on your cured meat, cheese, and crackers, it’s time to build your board! It’s important to finish it with fresh fall produce and your favorite local ingredients. We recommend using fall’s favorite fruit: apples, figs, organic locally grown concord grapes, and freshly sliced Bartlett pears. For fruit jams and spreads, Tacoma Boys’ Strawberry Fig Preserves, Divina Kalamata Fig Spread, and Stonewall Kitchen Fig & Ginger Jam will provide the perfect amount of sweetness for your board.

Salty

Adding a few salty, acidic components will bring this fall board to the next level. We love kalamata olives, green olives, and picked vegetables. These foods help balance out the rest of the board.

To assemble:

1. Place your cheeses on various spots on the board as well as your jam/preserves. You can pour your jam into small serving bowls or simply place the jar straight onto the board.
2. Fold your cured meats however you like, or simply spread them out around the board’s empty spaces and around the cheese. 
3. Follow with your cracker/breadstick choices by placing them around the board similar to the meat. 
4. Finish your board by filling in the leftover gaps with sliced fruit, dried fruit, and nuts.
5. Garnish your board with fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme. Place cheese knives and serving utensils around the board.
6. For those with kids, omit the cheese knives and simply replace the blocks of cheese with pre-sliced cheese. Having everything pre-sliced such as the cured meats, cheese, and fruit makes this an easy appetizer for all!
7. Note: remember that charcuterie boards are rustic and don’t need to be perfect!

Just Like That, An Easy Fall Appetizer

You really cannot go wrong with choosing a charcuterie board as an appetizer when hosting. They’re versatile, creative, fun to assemble, and simply easy! Although these boards are great for hosting, they’re also perfect for a date night, a picnic, a movie night with your girls, and don’t forget the most important part – they pair great with all kinds of wine – enjoy!