The time for celebrations is very much upon us. And what could be better to serve at a party or get together than carefully curated cheese boards? They’re easy to put together and let’s face it, most everybody really loves them.
Cheese boards – they’re one of the fanciest things you can serve at a friend gathering, but also pretty effective. I honestly don’t want to know the person who doesn’t like to have pieces of all kinds of cheeses, fruits, and nuts, as a snack. Of course, that doesn’t take into consideration people who are lactose intolerant. they are advised pretty much against a cheese platter or board. So, rule number one of assembling a good cheesy night: make sure none of your guests are actually lactose intolerant.
What about everything else? How do you plan for a night of cheesy goodness that everybody will remember? Let’s talk about the basics first, before we give you a few suggestions for unexpected cheese pairings.
How to put together a cheese board
Step 1: Choose the cheeses
When you’re putting together a cheese board, make sure there’s variety in the types of cheese you are choosing. Go for at least one soft, semi-soft, firm, blue, and aged. Opt for at least one that will be familiar to others and don’t be afraid to cater to your own tastes.
Step 2: Choose something to pair with
Go for cured meats like prosciutto, fruits like grapes or figs, and also nuts like pistachios, walnuts, and almonds. Make sure that there’s a lot of shapes, sizes, colors, and textures on the board.
Step 3: Put everything together
You can get a large board, slice the cheeses and place them on it. Then spread out the other ingredients on the board or the platter. Be mindful of the seating arrangements. Cheese boards aren’t exactly dinner party material. So, make sure you place the board or boards within reach of your guests.
3 unexpected cheese boards pairings
1. Pickles
You know what goes well with sweet, nutty cheese? Something acidic and sour like pickles. It can be pickled cucumbers, or cornichons, or even Korean kimchi. The play of flavors and textures will make your guests go nuts. they will probably also go for the nuts, so add plenty to the board.
2. Chips
Salty, crunchy things are a match made in heaven with any sort of cheese. From the soft, moist ones, to the firm, to the blue kinds. And I love the fact that it’s something nobody’s expecting. After all, cheeses are fancy, and chips you can buy at the store for next to nothing. But that’s exactly the contrast that makes this combo sing.
3. Honey
Creamy and sweet, honey adds a very interesting note to salty varieties of cheese. If you add the cheese and the honey on the board, make sure to also provide something super crunchy for your guests. The play in textures will make them all go absolutely wild for your cheese boards.