Bites & Boards owner aims to deliver wine’s best friend to your door or through how-to workshops

Robyn Parker doesn’t just sell cheese boards; she makes art. Parker is the owner of the 8-month-old charcuterie and cheese delivery business, Bites & Boards. She specializes in mouthwatering trays covered edge to edge in fresh ingredients and carefully curated snacks.

It’s like an abstract painting as Parker plays with color, texture and taste.

Using hard maple boards up to three feet long, Parker sources meats from Iverstine Farms Butcher, small-batch cheeses from the new 3Tails Wine and Cheese, and seasonal fruits and vegetables from her garden and local farmers markets.

Some weeks, the 56-year-old delivers up to 20 boards to customers from the Capital City to Lafayette. But her love of watching people’s faces light up as they graze on one of her boards keeps her energized.

To bring the art of gathering back makes people stop and have face-to-face conversation around a table of food again.

[Robyn Parker of Bites & Boards]

“I enjoy meeting people,” Parker says. “They start out as customers and then very quickly become my friends. I mean, what makes people happier than cheese?”

Parker started making cheese boards in 2015. After being introduced to the trend by a friend, she fell in love with creating visually pleasing displays out of food. Earlier this year, she turned that newfound passion into a business and hasn’t slowed down since. She makes boards for birthdays, weddings, graduations, dinner parties, open houses, anniversaries and other special events.

No two boards are the same. Using her creative eye, she carefully assembles folded slices of salami, ripe raspberries and cut sheep milk’s cheese along with her own homemade dip. She offers customized boards for people with gluten or nut allergies and also makes vegetarian and keto-friendly options.

Beginning this month, Parker is pairing up with Scott Higgins of 3Tails Wine and Cheese to offer workshops on how to arrange charcuterie and cheese boards. Students can enjoy specialty wine from the new Mid City shop and get tips from Parker. At the end, each student leaves with their own edible creation.

“We as a people have lost the art of gathering,” Parker says. “We’ve all gotten very introverted and into social media. To bring the art of gathering back makes people stop and have face-to-face conversation around a table of food again.” instagram.com/bitesandboards