Growing up as the daughter of two business owners, Central Coast local and lifelong foodie Rachel Boston had always hoped to start a business of her own one day. The only question was what?

"It has been a huge dream of mine, but the question always was what should I do that I am passionate about, and what can I bring to this community," said Boston, whose father owned a local pet supply company during her childhood.

But Boston, 28, credits her experiences at Evergreen Video in Santa Maria, which her mother owned for about three decades before the store closed in 2018, for shaping her aspirations.

• Photos Courtesy Of Rachel Boston
• BOSTON'S BOXES Local Rachel Boston, creator of Brie Happy Charcuterie, described a charcuterie box as the perfect companion to bring along on outdoor adventures.

"You could say I grew up in that video store, which taught me so many important skills when it comes to customer service and the impact you can have on people," Boston said. "I understand it was only a video store, but I watched the impact that my mom made on her customers and the community. I hoped I could do that one day."

For the past seven years, Boston has worked in customer service and management positions, from event and catering manager to operations manager, for a local food service company, but she didn't take the steps to launch an operation of her own until March of last year.

"I had been working long hours, with little time to focus on anything else. Then the pandemic hit and threw everyone's lives up in the air, including myself," Boston said. "This led to me being furloughed for roughly six months."

A few months into her furlough, Boston had an epiphany while casually browsing the internet, tumbling deeper and deeper down a foodie-laden rabbit hole.

"I stumbled upon a few charcuterie businesses in the LA area, and it just hit me," Boston said. "I was immediately drawn in and knew I wanted to do this."

In her personal life, Boston had already enjoyed customizing charcuterie boards for herself, and she figured that adding gift-like, to-go charcuterie boxes to the mix would be a natural option when envisioning what her business could be.

"I thought the idea of a charcuterie box is such a perfect fit for the current state of life," Boston said. "It makes the perfect addition to any small or intimate gathering; a date night in, girls night, a picnic, a trip to a winery or the beach with loved ones or friends. Being on the Central Coast, we have so many beautiful places to go and explore, and a charcuterie box makes the perfect companion."

Designing and crafting the decorative boxes themselves fulfilled a separate passion for Boston, she explained, beyond curating the food items to be included in each box.

"In my work life, I have a huge passion for customer service and providing people with an experience. But personally, I love making things beautiful—decorating, anything of the sort," Boston said. "Let's just say when it comes to Christmastime, I go all out. I am the kind of woman that loves to make holiday gift baskets for my friends and family.

"I love taking the time to perfect every little detail," she added. "It just makes me happy to bring others joy. I love the experience and the process of creating something beautiful for others to enjoy."

• Photos Courtesy Of Rachel Boston
• STOP AND EAT THE ROSES One staple feature of boxes and boards at Brie Happy Charcuterie is founder Rachel Boston's salami roses. "You can't help but smile when looking at a gorgeous rose that you can also eat," Boston said. "Appearance is such an important factor. I truly feel like we eat with our eyes first."

It's this attention to detail that separates Brie Happy Charcuterie, which she officially launched at the beginning of May, from other charcuterie businesses, Boston believes.

"I do feel like I set myself apart by wanting each box to be an experience for those who are enjoying it, not just food for them to eat," Boston said. "Each time I am creating a box or board, I think about how it will bring people together to connect and enjoy themselves."

Brie Happy Charcuterie offers a diverse range of packages to choose from, with boxes and boards in varying sizes, which she can deliver in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties for a small fee. Customers can also customize their orders to include whichever available meat, fruit, and cheese options they prefer. In perfectly punny fashion, Boston named the company after her favorite cheese, of course.

"Obviously, I am a huge brie fan. I love the creaminess, versatility, and spreadability," Boston said. "It has a nice mild, fruity yet earthy flavor. And you can eat the rind; it actually provides another unique flavor profile and texture when combined with the creaminess of the cheese."

• Photos Courtesy Of Rachel Boston
• NIFTY GIFTY "When it comes to Christmastime, I go all out. I am the kind of woman that loves to make holiday gift baskets for my friends and family," said Rachel Boston, while explaining her passion for decorating and how it ties into her charcuterie arrangements.

As Boston is currently back to working full time at her longtime job, she usually dedicates the very early hours of the morning to her new charcuterie venture.

"I actually look forward to waking up at 6 a.m. to prepare an order before going to my full-time job, and I'm not even a morning person," said Boston, whose favorite part of finishing her boards and boxes is applying "the final floral touches, fresh rosemary, and the little details that turn it from being a meat and cheese box or board into an entire mood."

Speaking of both meat and floral touches, one staple feature in Boston's charcuterie packages is her salami roses.

"You can't help but smile when looking at a gorgeous rose that you can also eat," Boston said. "Appearance is such an important factor. I truly feel like we eat with our eyes first, and how food is presented can impact your mood before even taking a bite." Δ

Send salami roses to Calendar Editor Caleb Wiseblood at [email protected].