Creating a cheese board is an art form that combines flavours, textures, and aesthetics. Whether you’re hosting a party or enjoying a quiet evening, a well-crafted cheese board can elevate any occasion. In this guide, we’ll explore how to create the perfect cheese board, offer pairing suggestions, and highlight some of Highland Fine Cheeses’ finest products.
Why Choose a Cheese Board?
Cheese boards are versatile and customisable, making them ideal for any gathering. They offer a variety of flavours and textures, catering to diverse palates. Plus, they’re visually appealing and can be tailored to fit any theme or season.
Selecting & Buying Your Cheeses
When choosing cheeses for your board, consider the following:
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Variety: Aim for a mix of textures and flavours. Include soft, hard, blue, and aged cheeses.
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Quantity: Plan for about 100g of cheese per person.
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Provenance: Perhaps we're a little biased but a cheeseboard built from Scottish artisan cheeses will bring the wow factor! Just a few of our favourite artisan providers include; Connage Highland Dairy, Ardersier, Inverness-shire (producers of Connage Clava Brie); Dunlop Dairy, Stewarton, East Ayrshire, (Traditional Ayrshire Dunlop) and Isle of Mull Cheese, Tobermory, Isle of Mull Cheese (Isle of Mull Cheddar). Of course we'll add Highland Fine Cheeses to that esteemed list too! You can buy our cheeses as supermarkets and farm shops throughout the UK (and online too of course.)
Why not include these on your next cheeseboard?
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Minger: A soft, pungent cheese that adds depth.
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Blue Murder: A bold blue cheese with a creamy texture.
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Morangie Brie: A smooth, buttery brie perfect for any board.
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How much cheese do I need?
A tricky one, as we all know a board can be demolished easily! If you're serving your board after a big celebratory meal, like Christmas or Easter, then allow for approximately 80-100 grams of cheese per person.
We're big fans of a cheese board supper (with a glass of something refreshing!) and for events such as this allow for 200g per person. Our own best selling cheese box contains 895g of cheese, so it's perfect for 4 people.
We definitely believe it's better to have extra cheese, after all what isn't eaten can be enjoyed in the days ahead!
Proper Cheese Storage Techniques
Remember your cheese is ALIVE!! t's so important to keep that cheese stored and handled correctly before adding it to your cheese board. - -
Firstly when you get the cheese home make sure to refrigerate it. With soft cheeses like brie and minger, they're already wrapped in special paper (often waxed paper) which allows the cheese to breathe and it stays happy! So don't be tempted to remove it from it's original wrapping. We get it - Minger especially is smelly!! If the smell is too overpowering for you then place the wrapped cheese in a zip-lock bag. But, before closing the zipper, make sure there’s still some air in the bag so your cheese has plenty of oxygen and humidity.
So many fridges now have a dedicated cheese drawer (or crisper drawer) - they are designed to have slightly higher humidity and more stable temperatures, which are best for preserving cheese quality.
Whatever you do don't use clingfilm to wrap up your cheese! You'll suffocate it and kill it (very sad). Clingfilm will trap in too much moisture and the cheese will sweat - this definitely results in the wrong kind of smell. If you have cheese leftover, then make sure to re-wrap it in it's original packaging.
Finally as you get ready to prep your cheeseboard, make sure to take your cheese out of the fridge at least an hour before you serve. This will bring the cheese up to room temperature and with a soft cheese - bring on the ooze!
Pairing Suggestions
Pair your cheeses with complementary items to enhance their flavours:
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Crackers and Bread: Offer a selection of plain and flavoured options. We've stocked some of our favourites - Gavino Traditional Olive Oil Biscuits. They're not for everyone, but we love them! Cracker selection is a very personal choice but consider the strength and texture of your cheeses on your board:
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For stronger tasting cheeses, a cracker with a slightly contrasting flavour, like a whole wheat cracker or a cracker with herbs.
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For soft cheeses, like so many of ours, a light thin cracker like a water cracker or a thin slice of French baguette.
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For semi hard cheeses (Fat Cow for example), have the option on the board for a slightly thicker cracker with some texture, like a multigrain cracker or a rye crispbread.
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Fruits: Grapes, figs, and apples provide sweetness and balance.
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Nuts: Almonds and walnuts add crunch and richness.
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Condiments: Honey, chutney, and mustard can elevate the tasting experience. We have both a Chilli Jam & a Chutney that are made in Scotland by one of our partners and you can pick up a jar on our website.
Tips for Presentation
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Arrangement: Start with the largest items and fill in gaps with smaller ones.
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Colour: Use a variety of colours to make the board visually appealing.
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Utensils: Provide separate knives for each cheese to prevent flavour mixing.
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Props: Don't be scared to go with the season! We love smashed chocolate mini eggs on our Easter Cheeseboard - vibrant colourful and a touch of extra sweetness for your guests!
Conclusion
Creating a cheese board is a delightful experience that brings people together. By selecting quality cheeses from Highland Fine Cheeses and following these tips, you can craft a board that is both delicious and memorable. Enjoy the process and let your creativity shine!
