How To Build The Perfect Cheeseboard
Bella Breakdown
We all love cheese. Cheese is life, cheese is glorious, cheese, cheese, cheese. There’s nothing more beautiful than a big cheese board filled with fancy cheeses, fresh bread and delicious sweet and salty accompaniments.
If you’re entertaining friends or family during the holiday season, a cheese board is also the perfect thing to set out with wine, champagne and some sweet treats. Or skip the formal dinner and go for a casual, relaxed cocktail hour where everyone can dig into one giant cheese and meat board.
As you may know, cheese boards that you find at nice restaurants or at your local bistro are artfully crafted and filled with carefully curated cheeses and toppings. If you know what to look for, it’s easy to create your own gourmet plate! Follow this guide to make the perfect holiday platter.
Pick Three Different Cheeses
If you’re building a platter for a big group, feel free to do more than three, but generally you want at least three cheeses of different tastes and textures. Go for one soft cheese, one medium or semi-soft and one hard cheese. These could include a creamy goat cheese, a zesty gouda and a salty manchego. Or you can select three cheeses based on the type of milk used: sheep, goat, cow, etc. If you’re struggling, ask the store’s cheese monger to help you out.
Pick Sweet and Salty Accompaniments
It’s a good idea to have both sweet and salty sides, but you have to make sure they go well with the cheese. In general, soft cheese work well with sweet toppings like dried fruit, jam and honey. Salty harder cheeses work with olives, onion, roasted peppers and more. Throw in some seasoned nuts for a great side.
Choose Your Vessel Wisely
You have to put your cheese on something, right? My personal favorite is just to serve a giant baguette that you can tear, or that’s sliced decoratively. If you prefer crackers or want variety, go for water crackers, simple butter based crackers (like Ritz), or something simply seasoned. Avoid crackers that already have cheese or other flavorings in them.
