The Art of the Cheese Board
Jacqui's Hints
Don't go overboard with differect types of cheese, 4 to 5 types of cheese are perfect for a cheese board. Make sure you have a variety of textures – for example, soft, crumbly, creamy, and firm. Don’t forget about flavor contrast – mild to strong, fruity to pungent, and sharp to mellow. You can also choose your cheese by milk used – cow, goat, and sheep. Here’s a good rule of thumb on serving size, plan about 2 ounces of cheese per person.
Cheese is a preserved food so there is actually no need to refrigerate hard cheese. However, cheese will keep longer in your refrigerator. I refrigerate my cheese and remove from the refrigerator and place on my countertop 1 hour before serving. When cheese is served at room temperature the delicious subtle flavors and aromas emerge. Make sure you give your cheese room on your board. You don’t want flavors and aromas melding. Arrange (and eat) cheese on your cheese board from mild to strong. And don’t forget to label your cheese so guests know what they’re eating!
Cut the cheese before serving or serve the cheese uncut with separate knives for each cheese. Don’t cut too far in advance of eating, you don’t want your cheese to dry out.
Here’s a little rhyme to help you choose cheeses for your cheese board:
Something Old
Something New
Something Goat
Something Blue
Here's a list of cheese by type:
Aged - Aged Chedar, Comte, Gouda
Firm - Manchego, Mimolette, Parmigiano-Reggiano
Soft - Camembert, Brillat-Savarin, Constant Bliss
Blue - Gorgonzola, Valdeon, Stilton
Serving Ideas
Plate
Chalkboard
Wooden Cutting Board
Piece of Slate
Rustic Butcher Block
Pairing Ideas
Fresh Sliced Baguette
Crunchy Crackers
Crostini
Bread Sticks
JammakerTM Jams & Chutneys
Honey
Olives
Nuts - Pistachios, Candied Nuts, and Walnuts
Fresh Fruit - Grapes, Sliced Apples, and Sliced Pears
Dried Fruits - Figs, Dates, Cherries, Apples, and Pears
Marinated Veggies - Artichoke Hearts, Roasted Red Peppers, and Caramelized Onions
Cured Meats - Prosciutto, Salami, and Mortadella
Remember to have fun and be adventurous! Choose an old standby everyone loves and then take a risk on a cheese that calls to you in the market! You just might find a new favorite!
Cookin' it up healthyTM!
...
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Montgomery’s Cheddar
Sottocenere
Cremont Vermont Butter & Cheese
Tickler Cheddar
Leonora
Brie
Comte
Gorgonzola
Pecorino Tartufo Riserva
...
JammakerTM Jams & Chutneys
JammakerTM Ginger Pear Jam
JammakerTM Sweet Sunshine in a Jar Jam
JammakerTM Lil' Bit O' Spice is Nice!TM Hot Pepper Jelly
JammakerTM Fig Chutney
JammakerTM Cranberry Chutney
JammakerTM No Way, No Sugar!TM Blueberry
JammakerTM No Way, No Sugar!TM Cranberry