A great cheeseboard is a welcome indulgence at any gathering. In fact, it has been estimated that a quarter of life’s pleasurable moments involve cheese in some capacity. Simply offer a variety of delectable cheeses paired with crisp crackers and luxe additions like a quince or pear paste, fresh fruits, dried fruits, pistachios, macadamia nuts and bright, pretty edible flowers will have your guests in fromage heaven.
To create your own spectacle, here are a few basic guidelines that have served me well over the last 10 years and thousands of cheeseboards I have shared.
- Compliment a soft cheese like a brie or camembert with a hard cheese, like a cheddar.
- Serve the cheddar topped with a smattering of currants and crushed walnuts drizzled generously with raw local honey.
- As a rough guideline, allow a minimum of 50g of cheese per person when serving cheese at the start of a meal. Opt for 100g if serving at the end of a meal. Food tends to linger longer at the end of a meal.
- Provide a variety of gluten free crackers or fresh slices of crusty breads as accompaniments with slices of fresh fruit (slices of crisp, green apple or pear PAIR well with cheddar and honey).
- GRAPES especially are a great compliment on any cheeseboard as they help refresh the palette and compliment the cheese.
- Balance rich cheeses with a mix of dried fruits, figs, pear, peach, apple, apricot and tart cherries.
- Never serve cheese straight from the fridge. Cold temperatures can make even the tastiest, ripest (and most expensive) cheeses taste bland. Make sure the cheese has at least 1 hour to find room temperature before it is served in order to fully appreciate both its aroma and flavour.
And remember … You can’t make everyone happy, because YOU ARE NOT cheese!
The 4 Ingredients Recipes page is full of great ideas for when you are next entertaining.