Justina Briguglio has strong feelings about provolone. Make it sharp, preferably tucked inside a Medjool date, wrapped in bacon and baked. As for dried sausage, she’s still looking for the kind she grew up eating in New York and New Jersey.

“Growing up in an Italian American family, there was typically antipasto on Sundays: cured meats, cheeses, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts and fresh Italian bread,” Justina says. “Sharing those foods was familiar to me long before I ever thought about making boards for a living.”

The business idea came during a Galentine’s Day gathering she co-hosted in February 2022. With Pinterest inspiration and a champagne flute, Justina fashioned a pepperoni rose and assembled cheeses, crackers, fruit, cucumbers and dried apricots. The blueberry vanilla goat cheese went onto the board uncut.

“Someone said, ‘You know, you could make these and sell them,’” Justina says. “I told them they were crazy!”

By April of that year, she had worked up the courage to try, launching Boujee Boards by Justina from her countertop.

Today, her Eustis-based business builds everything from individual charcuterie cups and boxes to grazing tables for larger gatherings. Brunch boards and a lox option go beyond the usual meat-and-cheese assortment, alongside fruit, vegetable and dessert boards. Some spreads include sandwiches from The Butcher’s Nook and select desserts from Allyson A Bake Shop in Mount Dora.

The planning starts well before she folds the first slice of salami. Justina asks about guest counts, allergies, favorite foods and anything customers would rather leave off. For grazing tables, she considers the space available. For boards, she asks whether there’s room in the refrigerator.

Once those details are settled, the ingredients guide the arrangement. Merlot BellaVitano, truffle cheese and hard provolone are personal favorites, while seasonal produce and local honey add other flavors to explore.

“I don’t follow a set design for every order,” Justina says. “I take what we’ve talked about and let the ingredients, colors and textures guide me as I work.”

She teaches workshops, too, sharing an approach that goes beyond making food look pretty. Creamy needs crunchy, savory benefits from sweet and guests need room to reach what they want. A table can have color and height without becoming an obstacle course.

“For me, a good grazing spread feels abundant but not chaotic,” Justina says. “If you keep it inviting and practical, people relax around it.”

Photos Provided