Making an attractive and appealing cheese board is more of an art, not a science. But with that said, there are still a few proven tips that can help you make an Instagram-worthy cheese board that impresses your guests.
In this post, we’ve put together a few suggestions to guide you on how to make the perfect cheeseboard. We’ve also included some cheese gift hampers that you can purchase to make the process easier.
Although it’s tempting to fill your board with a few simple cheeses that please your palate, a crowd-pleasing cheese platter should incorporate various styles of cheese to appeal to as many of your guests as possible.
For a small gathering at home, you should be fine with 3-5 cheeses that offer slightly different tastes and textures. For instance, you could opt for a soft cheese (like goat’s cheese or Brie), a blue cheese, a medium-hard cheese (like Gruyere or Gouda), and a hard cheese (like Pecorino).
Even though the main attraction of a cheese board is (of course) cheese, you still want to include a range of other snacks for a more well-rounded selection. This is especially important if you have guests who are vegan or lactose intolerant.
Be sure to layer in some fruit, such as sliced apples, dried apricots, figs, or grapes. Provided that you don’t have any guests with nut allergies, you could also add a couple of types of nuts, including almonds, cashews, walnuts, or pecans. We also recommend setting out a few spreads and condiments, like honey, quince paste, tapenade or jam. Finally, it’s always a good idea to offer a few different types of crackers to make sure there’s something for everyone.
To get your cheese plate to the next level, you can strategically use decorative food items to bring the entire board together and fill in awkward gaps. For example, you can throw in a few sprigs of rosemary or thyme in between cheeses to add a fresh feel and pop of colour.
Similarly, using small bowls and containers can help break up the look of your board and prevent items from running together. If you’re really trying to create a one-of-a-kind spread, invest in a high-end marble or monogrammed cheese board that sets your platter apart.
Designing a cheese board from scratch is rewarding, but it can be a lot of work. You’ll need to come up with ideas for cheese, accompaniments and spreads that all work well together, which might mean that you have to visit multiple stores to find everything that you need.
Alternatively, you can order a cheese gift hamper from Gourmet Basket to take the hassle out of choosing everything yourself. For instance, our Entertainer Cheese Hamper comes with a well-rounded selection of cheeses, nibbles, spreads and crackers, so all you need to do is arrange everything on a platter — and you’re good to go!
Gourmet Basket crafts a wide range of gift hampers for any occasion, including birthdays, holidays and anniversaries. To browse our selection or place an order, visit the Gourmet Basket website or call 1300 354 393.
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