How To Make a Cheese Board
Whether it's a cheese board or a charcuterie board, a well-crafted cheese board is not just a feast for the taste buds, but also a visual delight that elevates any occasion. Whether you're hosting a casual get-together, planning a spontaneous date night or hosting a sophisticated soirée, a cheese board is a must! Here’s your step-by-step guide to how to make a cheese board that will leave you wanting more.
1. Choose Your Cheese
When creating a cheese board, selecting the right types of cheeses is a crucial step. Aim for a mix of textures and flavours: a creamy, soft cheese like brie or camembert, a semi-soft option such as gouda or havarti, a hard cheese like aged cheddar or parmesan, and a robust blue cheese like gorgonzola or stilton. You could even include a fresh cheese like mozzarella or burrata to add a mild and creamy element to your selection!
2. Add Accompaniments
Now, your cheese platter is not a cheese platter without crackers! From water crackers to multigrain crackers and rye crackers to herb crackers, the more variety, the better! Additionally, serving with a few chutneys, fruits and vegetables only elevates the flavour profile of the cheese board.
3. Arrange Your Board
Once you have chosen your cheese, crackers, chutneys and fruits you can start to arrange your cheese board! Remember, cheese is best served at room temperature so remember to take them out of the fridge and let them rest for at least 30 minutes before serving. Begin to place your cheese on the board dotting them around the board. Next, add a selection of the crackers to the board to accompany the cheese. Following this, pop some chutneys into small ramekins and place them onto the cheese board. Finally, fill in the gaps with your selected fruits and vegetables! And that’s it! Your cheese board should look full with very little spacing between each item.
4. Pair With Wine
Knowing what wine goes with cheese can be tricky but getting it right will only enhance the tasting experience!
For soft cheeses like brie or camembert, opt for a light, fruity white wine such as Chardonnay or a sparkling wine, which cuts through the creaminess. Semi-soft cheeses like gouda or havarti pair well with versatile wines like Pinot Noir or a medium-bodied Merlot, offering a harmonious blend of flavours. Hard cheeses such as aged cheddar or parmesan are best paired with robust red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or a rich Zinfandel, which stand up to their intense flavours. Blue cheeses, with their strong, tangy profiles, are complemented by sweet dessert wines like Port, which balance the pungency with their sweetness.
By thoughtfully pairing wines with each type of cheese, you elevate the entire cheese board experience, ensuring a delightful and memorable tasting journey.
So, now you know how to make a cheese board, enjoy!
Prefer a grazing board? Check out our savoury grazing board blog!
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