Gulf Breeze's new Graze Craze offers professional charcuterie boards of all sizes
Charcuterie "graze tables" have dominated the social media scene with their colorful, freshly-sliced fruits, intricately sculpted salami roses and dainty jars of jam and honey.
Graze Craze was born out of this viral trend and has become a fast-growing national franchise with 93 locations that either already exist or are in the works, according to the Graze Craze website .
Gulf Breeze has new store gearing up to open at 3329 Gulf Breeze Parkway in early-to-mid February.
Owners of the Gulf Breeze Graze Craze, Jocelyn and Paul Sanders, found a connection with the company, which was founded by Air Force veteran Kerry Sylvester in 2018.
Following Paul's retirement as a helicopter pilot after over a 20-year-career in the U.S. Navy, the two saw the business as an opportunity to connect with the community as they plant roots in Pensacola. Now, they are just about ready to open after a year of preparations.
"This is very much a passion for us," Jocelyn Sanders said. "My husband spent a lot of time here in-flight school. We're really trying to make this our forever home (and) create a sense of community with everybody."
The company's motto is to "celebrate everything," and they arrange charcuterie for everything from individual "Char-Cutie-Cups" to ornate grazing tables for weddings with 200 guests.
Sanders said that the charcuterie boards were something she would initially attempt at home but end up just paying a professional to do for the convenience.
"It took so much effort and money to put together ourselves," Sanders said.
Now, they have an abundance of high-quality ingredients on hand – like red wine merlot cheese, herb de Provence salami and fennel spiced ham – that you can't simply go to the store and widely find. Some menu items, like the dark pistachio sea salt chocolate, are made specifically for Graze Craze. What they don't intentionally source, like the dips, sauces and jams, they make fresh in house.
"There's one that sounds crazy but is everyone's favorite: the dill cottage cheese dip," Sanders said.
When you walk inside Graze Craze, you're met with expert "grazologists" who curate a board or cup for you and get you on your way. There is no indoor seating, but the company does deliver.
Sanders hopes the business will not only be a hit for large events, but for a day at the beach, taking the kids to the park or, "Hey, it's Tuesday and I don't want to cook" kind of nights. The boards can be customized for a full meal or a snack plate, depending on the size and ingredient options.
The boards are also friendly to various lifestyle choices and diet accommodations, including Keto and vegetarian boxes, boards and graze tables.
For more updates and information follow the Graze Craze – Gulf Breeze, FL Facebook page.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Graze Craze in Gulf Breeze offers professional charcuterie
