It is officially holiday season! And you know what that means: social gatherings with amazing food! And there is no better way to start a dinner party than with a glass of wine and an epic holiday cheese board, whether it’s for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or just because! There are so many good things about a cheese board. First, it takes barely any prep—you don’t even have to bust out a skillet or turn the oven on. Easy! Second… cheese! Need I say more?! It’s a perfect appetizer or dinner and always a crowd-pleaser.
What to put on your cheese board
The key to cheese board success is lots of variety. You want to cover all the bases: think salty, sweet, crisp, crunchy, creamy, tart, juicy, nutty, and spicy. Contrasting textures and flavors is the way to go! You don’t have to stick to my recipe below exactly and can sub in with your favorite cheeses or ingredients, just make sure to have a few different types of cheeses. Here are the flavors and textures to cover on your cheese board:
Salty: Aged smoked gouda, castelvetrano olives, capers, caper berries, pickles, pistachios. Sweet: Dried fruit (cranberries, apricots, apples, banana chips, currants), fresh fruit (berries, oranges, apple slices), honey, jam, marmalade. Crisp: Veggies (peppers, carrots, celery, cucumber), pear slices, crackers. Crunchy: Chips, crackers, and more chips Creamy: Brie, mozzarella, or luscious dips like hummus, tzatziki, baba ganoush. Tart: Pomegranate seeds, pickled peppers, gherkins, pickled onions. Juicy: Oranges, kiwi, persimmon. Nutty: Hazelnuts, pecans, cashews, almonds, walnuts, peanuts, or a mix of all of them. Spicy: Pepperoncini, chili jam, sweet pickled peppers, pickled jalapeño.
At the end of the day though, there is no EXACT way to arrange your cheese board – it’s up to you to get creative and do what works for you. I always place the cheese down first, and arrange everything else around it. Here’s how to present your cheese like a pro:
Wheels: For any round-shaped cheeses, like a wheel of brie or camembert, slice it like a pie into wedges and fan the pieces out to create a fan shape. This not only makes it easier for guests to grab a piece but also adds dimension to your board Goat’s cheese: Leave your log of goat’s cheese whole, adding a cheese knife so guests can spread it straight onto their cracker. Hard cheeses: Cheeses like manchego or aged cheddar can be sliced into bite sized pieces. Remember to remove any wax rinds to make the experience more enjoyable for your guests. If you’ve got a mature cheese, you can break it into rustic chunks and make little piles. Cheese blocks: For cheeses like swiss or gruyère, slice them into cubes. Little bite-sized cubes are perfect for adding to small piles on the board and make it easy for guests to pick them up with toothpicks. Blue cheeses: Crumble these directly onto the board, letting the sharp contrast of the blue veins speak for themselves. This also works well with aged goat cheeses.
Finishing touches: Elevate the aesthetic by adding some garnishes. A drizzle of honey or piece of honeycomb adds a natural sweetness that pairs perfectly with savory cheeses. Add sprigs of herbs, like fresh rosemary or thyme, to bring fragrance, or add edible flowers for an extra pretty touch! A few other options that would be nice on a holiday cheese board are:
Blue Cheese and Walnut Balls with Grapes White Cheddar and Thyme Cheese Puffs Caramelized Shallot and Gruyere Fondue
Did you make this?
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