The Secret
The one trick that makes the design work, with a layout map and the gear you need. Most are simpler than they look.
Books Impossible Boards
Ebook & paperback · 25 boards · serves 12 to 15
Impossible Boards: 25 showstopping charcuterie boards that make guests ask “How?”
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Impossible Boards is 25 showpiece charcuterie boards built into shapes: a dragon guarding its gold, an octopus reaching for every corner, a sourdough volcano erupting fondue, a slice of “birthday cake” that's really cheese and salami. They look impossible. Each one runs on a single trick, and the book shows you exactly what it is, with a complete shopping list for 12 to 15, a prep timeline from the day before and eight numbered steps.
Instant PDF download from Gumroad. The link arrives by email and the PDF stays in your Gumroad library.
25 showpiece boards12–15 guests each8 rated easy (2 of 5)6 pages per board
Impossible Boards at a glance
- Formats
- PDF ebook (169 pages, instant download) and full-colour paperback on Amazon, 8.5 × 11 in
- Boards
- 25 in 4 chapters: Creatures and Legends, Worlds and Adventures, Showstoppers, A Year of Celebrations
- Serves
- 12 to 15 per board as the main appetizer, with a smaller version where it works
- Difficulty
- Rated 2 to 5 out of 5; 8 boards are a 2, the Cheese Castle is the only 5
- Each board
- Overview and prep timeline, The Secret, shopping list, 8 build steps, party notes, Make It Your Way
- Photos
- The board images are digitally created illustrations of each finished design
- Price
- $12.99 ebook on Gumroad · $24.99 paperback on Amazon
From the book
Boards that stop the room
What you get
Every board includes
Full shopping list
Every item with its amount for 12 to 15, grouped by aisle, so one trip covers it.
Prep timeline
What to do the day before, 2 hours out, 1 hour out and in the last 5 minutes.
Eight build steps
Numbered steps with a reference photo, so you always know what comes next.
Party notes
Serving tips, food safety and a “Did you know?” to share at the table.
Make It Your Way
Easy, budget, gluten-free, vegetarian and bigger-crowd versions, plus what to do with leftovers.
All 25 boards
The 25 impossible boards
| # | Board | Chapter | Difficulty | Active time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | The Dragon's Hoard | Creatures and Legends | 4 of 5 | 2 hours | $110–$140 |
| 02 | The Giant Octopus | Creatures and Legends | 3 of 5 | 2 hours | $120–$150 |
| 03 | The Monarch Butterfly | Creatures and Legends | 3 of 5 | 90 minutes | $100–$130 |
| 04 | The Blue Whale | Creatures and Legends | 2 of 5 | 75 minutes | $100–$130 |
| 05 | The Unicorn | Creatures and Legends | 3 of 5 | 90 minutes | $110–$140 |
| 06 | The Koi Pond Garden | Creatures and Legends | 4 of 5 | 2 hours | $130–$160 |
| 07 | The Pirate Ship | Worlds and Adventures | 4 of 5 | 2 hours | $110–$140 |
| 08 | The Lighthouse on the Rocks | Worlds and Adventures | 4 of 5 | 90 minutes | $120–$150 |
| 09 | The Tropical Island | Worlds and Adventures | 3 of 5 | 2 hours | $120–$150 |
| 10 | The Cheese Castle Kingdom | Worlds and Adventures | 5 of 5 | 2½ hours | $110–$140 |
| 11 | The Galaxy | Worlds and Adventures | 3 of 5 | 90 minutes | $110–$140 |
| 12 | The Hot Air Balloon Festival | Worlds and Adventures | 2 of 5 | 75 minutes | $90–$120 |
| 13 | The Campfire | Worlds and Adventures | 2 of 5 | 75 minutes | $90–$120 |
| 14 | The Cake That Isn't | Showstoppers | 4 of 5 | 2 hours | $100–$130 |
| 15 | Fondue Volcano Island | Showstoppers | 3 of 5 | 90 minutes | $100–$130 |
| 16 | The Mandala | Showstoppers | 3 of 5 | 2 hours | $100–$130 |
| 17 | The Giant Guitar | Showstoppers | 3 of 5 | 90 minutes | $90–$120 |
| 18 | The Midas Touch | Showstoppers | 3 of 5 | 75 minutes | $250–$350 |
| 19 | New Year's Champagne Pop | A Year of Celebrations | 2 of 5 | 75 minutes | $140–$180 |
| 20 | Game Day Football Field | A Year of Celebrations | 2 of 5 | 75 minutes | $90–$120 |
| 21 | The Giant Heart | A Year of Celebrations | 2 of 5 | 90 minutes | $110–$140 |
| 22 | The Giant Easter Egg | A Year of Celebrations | 3 of 5 | 90 minutes | $100–$130 |
| 23 | The Giant Jack-o'-Lantern | A Year of Celebrations | 2 of 5 | 75 minutes | $90–$120 |
| 24 | The Thanksgiving Turkey | A Year of Celebrations | 2 of 5 | 75 minutes | $110–$140 |
| 25 | Santa's Sleigh | A Year of Celebrations | 3 of 5 | 2 hours | $100–$130 |
Every board serves 12 to 15. Costs are typical US supermarket estimates for the whole board.
Free sample
Game Day Football Field: the full shopping list
Board 20 is one of the easiest in the book: difficulty 2 of 5, about 75 minutes of active time, roughly $90–$120. The secret: The turf is just rows: each stripe of “grass” is one green vegetable packed in one direction. Here's its complete shopping list, exactly as it appears in the book.
Meats (about 3½ lb)
| What to buy |
|---|
| 1 lb Genoa salami (football and end zone) |
| 1 lb pepperoni |
| 1 lb dry Spanish chorizo |
| 8 oz beef sticks |
Cheese (about 4 lb)
| What to buy |
|---|
| 12 oz string cheese (yard lines and laces) |
| 1½ lb sharp cheddar (cubes) |
| 1 lb pepper jack (cubes) |
| 12 oz white cheddar (cubes) |
Produce
| What to buy |
|---|
| 4 English cucumbers |
| 1½ lb snap peas |
| 2 lb green grapes |
| 2 heads of broccoli |
| 2 limes |
Chips, crackers and dips
| What to buy |
|---|
| 2 bags of tortilla chips |
| 1 bag of pretzel twists |
| 2 boxes of round crackers |
| 2 cups guacamole |
| 2 cups queso or beer cheese |
| 1½ cups salsa |
Pantry
| What to buy |
|---|
| 2 cups green olives |
| 1 lb mixed nuts |
The full step-by-step build for this board is free in our themed charcuterie board ideas guide.
Look inside
Real pages from the book
Choose your edition
Same 25 boards, two ways to own them
Ebook · best value
$12.99
- Instant PDF download
- 169 full-colour pages on your phone, tablet or laptop
- Print just the board you're making
Paperback
$24.99
- 169 pages, full colour, 8.5″ × 11″
- Lies open on the counter while you build
- Printed and shipped by Amazon
Questions
Impossible Boards: questions before you buy
Are these boards actually hard to make?
Less than they look. Every board is built from ordinary grocery-store food, and each one comes down to one trick: rows of overlapping slices, an outline you fill in, a hidden base for height, or color doing the drawing. 8 of the 25 are rated 2 out of 5.
How many people does each board serve?
12 to 15 as the main appetizer. Many boards include a smaller version for 6 to 8 in the Make It Your Way page.
Are the photos real?
The board images are digitally created illustrations, made to show what each finished design looks like. The shopping lists, amounts and steps were all worked out for a real build.
Which board should I start with?
The Football Field, the Campfire, the Jack-o'-Lantern, the Blue Whale or the Thanksgiving Turkey. They're built from rows and color, with nothing to balance, and each takes about 75 minutes.
Is there a paperback?
Yes, the full-colour paperback is on Amazon at $24.99. The ebook is an instant PDF download from Gumroad at $12.99.
How do I get the ebook?
Checkout is on Gumroad. You get a download link by email straight away, and the PDF stays in your Gumroad library.
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