Home-made cheese boards are so popular when you have a bunch of people invited for special occasions, so regarding the upcoming holidays. In this Cheese Board Guide, I share some tips about what to consider when you create your cheese selection, select the bread and crackers and other garnishes.
The basic cheese types
You can start with 3 types of cheeses up to a bountiful selection consider these types of cheeses as great elements of your cheese boards.
- Soft - soft goats cheese, mozzarella
- Soft rind - Brie, Camembert
- Semi-hard - Cheddar, Guryére, Port Salut
- Hard - Parmesan, Pecorino, Mimolette, Comté
- Bleu - Roquefort, Gorgonzola
- Flavored
What else to add?
We would like to present various textures, colours, and flavours to boost the experience, so add more or less from the following list:
- Salty
- Charcuterie: cured ham, salami
- Pickles, olives
- Nuts: walnut, pecan, almond, pistachios
- Sweet
- Fruits: stone fruits, grapes, fig
- Dry fruits: raisins. dates, apricot
- Carbs
- Crackers, grissini
- Sourdough, ciabatta, baguette
- Spreads and Dips
- Chutney, jam
- Honey, honeycomb
- Pesto, tapenade
- Wine
- The classics are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
- Have a chat with your winery will advise you to select the best according to the chosen cheeses.
How to create your own selection?
- How to choose?
- Specific country or region: France, Britain, Italy...
- One type of milk: cow, sheep, goat...
- You can mix the regions and milk types as well, according to your preferences.
- Talk to your cheesemonger, you will not only learn about your selected cheeses but you might have the chance to try some, that you haven't even considered.
- Buy whole blocks instead of pre-sliced ones.
- Take the cheeses out of the fridge an hour before serving them, they give the best flavour experience at room temperature.
- Break the bigger pieces, it feels inviting for them, if your guests wouldn't have to cut into the whole camembert for example. Add cheese knives and spreaders.
- Arrange them in order, clockwise, from mild to aromatic, soft to hard end with blue and suggest your guests to follow this for the best experience.
Cheese Board - Photo by © Reka Csulak
