How to Build the Perfect Cheeseboard for Holiday Entertaining
By Guest Contributor, Katie Sannito of The Gourmet Goddess
Holiday entertaining season is here! The time of year when social calendars are stacked with all sorts of get togethers to celebrate the joy of the season.
Whether you’re hosting or bringing a dish to the party, a beautifully curated cheeseboard is the perfect way to set the mood for a great meal. In fact, in some cases it can be the meal! Best of all, anybody can put a stunning and scrumptious cheeseboard together.
Cheeseboards are the ideal, go-to appetizer since they require no cooking skills or fancy equipment. All you need is a love of good cheese and a well-stocked pantry with all the essential components to put together the perfect cheeseboard.
Here’s how TO BUILD THE PERFECT CHEESEBOARD…
The cheese, of course is the star of the show. You want to be sure and have a variety of milks, styles and textures so that there is something for everyone: A soft and buttery brie, an aged and nutty cheddar, and perhaps something blue and tangy.
I like to work with three different cheeses since and odd number visually looks better when it comes to arranging on the board. But, by all means have as many as you like! We eat with our eyes first, so it is important that your board has plenty of visual interest to get your guests pumped up about digging in!
Essential Additions to the Perfect Cheeseboard
The cheese itself isn’t all that exciting to look at since it’s typically white or cream in color, so it’s time to fill your board up with all the colorful accouterments that make a cheeseboard the delicious thing that is. By adding a great mix of colors, texture and flavors — or what I call the “Essential Additions” in my Cheese & Charcuterie workshops — your cheeseboard evolves into a delicious work of art.
You’ll need some crunch, some sweet, some salty and some charcuterie. The crunch comes from a variety of cracker styles with different shapes, flavor and texture. You absolutely have to include Marcona almonds, they are just simply the best!
Then you need to have some sweetness from both fresh and dried fruits, along with a great artisan preserve or honey.
Round it out with a little something salty by way of olives; Castelvetrano olives are hands down my favorite.
Last, but not least, add your cured meats of choice.
Most people love salami and prosciutto, but, feel free to add all of your favorites to your soon to be perfect cheeseboard. Then, finish with a little something green such as a few sprigs of fresh herbs or some greenery to add a little earthiness to the overall presentation.
Be mindful of the seasons as you are choosing fresh fruits to serve on your board. Fall is apple season (which happens to pair wonderfully with cheddar) so serve thinly sliced apples as your fresh fruit. Pomegranates are also a seasonal favorite and add a gorgeous touch by slicing in half and exposing the beautiful ruby colored arils.
When you are ready to serve, be sure to pull your cheeseboard out about one hour before guests arrive to let the cheese “breathe” and come to room temperature. This allows you to experience the maximum flavor of the cheese and the unique characteristics of each one.
Cheeseboard building is a lot of fun and the perfect spot to gather with friends and family to share in good food and good company. Cheers!