Nothing elevates a gathering more than an elegantly presented cheese board. Tailor-made
for mingling and conversation, a delicious assortment of cheeses, paired with just the right
foods, provides a feast for the eyes as well as the palate.
But you don’t have to be a professional chef to assemble a cheese plate that looks and
tastes like a culinary masterpiece. Here is your checklist for creating a perfect cheese
board.
HOW MUCH
CHEESE DO I
NEED?
Per serving: If your cheese board is being served as an hors
d’oeuvre, plan for 1 to 1.5 ounces of each type per person. If
you’re serving it as a light meal, plan for 2 to 3 ounces of each
type of cheese per person.
Choose an odd number of cheeses, such as five or seven,
depending on the numer of people you’re serving. An odd
number of cheeses balanced around the board will make it
visually appealing.
HOW DO I KNOW
WHAT FLAVORS
WORK TOGETHER?
Provide a variety of flavors that complement one another. Try
a combination of aged, soft, firm and blue cheeses.
Another option is to use cheeses made from various types of
milk, such as goat, sheep, or buffalo cheese, as well as
traditional cow’s milk cheese.
WHAT KINDS OF
CHEESE SHOULD
I SERVE?
Here are some suggestions for flavor variety on a cheese
board.
WHAT FOODS
SHOULD I
PAIR WITH THE
CHEESES?
The perfect cheese board includes a variety of delicious accompaniments that allow the palate to appreciate the taste
of the cheese. Consider four main types of pairings:
•Aged Havarti. Castello® Aged Havarti is an excellent option
for heightening the enjoyment of a cheese plate. Mild and
buttery in flavor, this well-matured cheese has a delicate,
crystalline structure that forms during its long maturation
period, creating a crunchy surprise that’s delightfully delicious.
•Triple Crème Cheese. The softeset of cheeses, triple crème
cheese is extremely soft and spreadable. It is easy on the
palate and pairs with a wide variety of foods, making it a
great addition to any cheese board.
•Danish Blue. Blue cheese, such as Castello® Danish Blue, is
a full-flavor variety that has a wonderful “bite,” with characteristically tangy notes of blue balanced by sweet and salty
undertones.
•Cheddar. A firm Cheddar is a cheese plate staple. With a
sharp, pungent and often earthy flavor, this cheese brings a
unique aspect to the cheese board and also a little color.
•Chèvre. This goat-milk-based cheese with a tart, earthy
flavor gives your guests the opportunity to be more adventurous and try something new.
•Bread. Flatbread, grilled crostini, crackers, baguette
•Sweet. Figs, apricots, honey, berry preserves
•Savory/Salty. Marcona almonds, cashews, Kalamata olives,
spicy mustard
•Charcuterie. White wine salami, prosciutto, pork pâté, Andouille sausage
All of these cheeses are readily available in the specialty
cheese section at your local grocery store. If you wish to
venture further, you can also find a wide selection of options
at specialty cheese shops.
HOW DO I
PUT IT ALL
TOGETHER ON A
CHEESE BOARD?
Using a quality board will add to the visual appeal of your
cheese board creation. Boska offers beautiful boards made
of wood, marble and even concrete. Brooklyn Slate boards
are also a fun option, as you can write the names of the
cheeses right on the board using chalk or soapstone.
Arrange the flavors from mildest to strongest in a clockwise
pattern on the board. Identify the name of each cheese,
whether you write it directly on the board, on a paper stand
beside it, or on wooden or porcelain markers made especially
for this purpose.
Set out precut cheeses about 30 minutes before serving, so
the aromas and flavors can fully come to life.
WHAT IS THE
BEST WAY TO CUT
THE CHEESES?
Since you’ll have a variety of cheeses, it’s a good idea to
provide a variety of knives:
•A slicer for hard and semi-hard cheeses like Cheddar and
Havarti
•An open-work blade knife with holes in it so soft cheeses,
like free, are less likely to stick to the knife
•A paring knife, which works well for just about all types of
cheese
In addition to sliced cheese, vary the format of the cheese
you serve by making rustic crumbles. Take a knife to a block
of cheese, push it halfway through, and then twist the knife
to pull out the crumbles.
Precut a few slices of crumbles of each cheese type, so
people will know how to cut each particular type of cheese
themselves, should they not be familiar with it. Also set out
at least one knife per cheese type, as well as a few cheese
forks for your guests to use.
HOW SHOULD I
STORE LEFTOVER
CHEESE?
To keep the leftover cheese fresh, it is essential to store it
properly so it retains moisture and flavor and doesn’t absorb
other flavors from the refrigerator. Package the different
cheese varieties as follows:
•Blue cheese. Wrap it in aluminum foil, then plastic wrap.
•Aged Havarti and hard cheeses. Wrap in parchment,
waxed paper or Formaticum professional cheese paper,
followed by a layer of plastic wrap.
•Soft cheeses. Store in a resealable plastic container.
Always wrap cheese separately, rather than wrapping
together blue cheese with Havarti, for example, to maintain
each cheese’s unique flavor profile.
By following this checklist, you can bring out your inner gourmet and create a cheese
board that delights your guests and takes them on an exciting culinary adventure.
Find more ideas for experiencing speciality cheeses at
CastelloCheeseUSA.com.