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!