Cheese and Wine Archives * The Well Dressed Kitchen

An elegant and delicious way to take your entertaining to the next level is an elaborate Cheese Board. Serving a cheese board as a party appetizer is easier than you think. Learn when to serve it, what cheese to buy, and how to put together a beautiful presentation. Then, pair it with the perfect wine or champagne to really impress your company.

In my opinion, it’s always the right occasion for a cheese plate, but with the holidays and entertaining season upon us it’s the perfect time to Learn How to Make A Cheese Board. While many people think elegant cheese plates are something you can only get at a fancy restaurant, it’s easier to serve at home than you think. An added bonus, you can serve cheese boards any time of year, for any occasion.

When to Make A Cheese Board… Anytime!!

I always make a cheese board when I am entertaining for a girl’s night, dinner party or holiday and I want to impress my guests. I use a variety of textures and flavors so my guests can choose whatever they want. I absolutely love to entertain, especially around the Holidays so when it’s this time of year, a cheese board is an elegant and easy way to feed my friends and family.

Choosing Your Cheese Board

A lot of times I use my big wood cutting board to serve my cheese, but a standard serving platter also works great. I am so excited because I just bought this ash wood and slate serving board and both are PERFECT for entertaining! You can also try this stoneware platter for a more sophisticated look.

How to Build Your Basic Cheese Board

Start with CHEESE: Include a variety of textures and flavors, but be sure to serve at least one familiar cheese. Pick different soft and hard cheeses. My absolute favorite hard or firm cheese is Manchego, but other tasty options include Mimolette or Parmigiano-Reggiano. For soft cheese I suggest goat cheese and brie for a creamy texture. Try using an aged cheese like Aged Cheddar or Gouda.

Offer a selection of bread and crackers: Serve a sliced baguette or Crostini, thin breadsticks, or crackers of all shapes and sizes to add a little texture and crunch.

Something salty and sweet. Cheese pairs well with dried fruit, spreadable jam, or fresh berries. Olives, nuts such as almonds and walnuts, and salty meats like prosciutto and salami are great options for cheese boards. Jarred condiments and vegetables are quick, try using artichoke hearts or roasted red peppers. My Cranberry Salsa goes great over a block of cream cheese!

Set out a separate knife for each cheese: You want the soft varieties of cheese to have their own knife, a butter knife works just fine. A firm cheese might require a sharper knife such as a pairing knife.

Remove Cheese from Refrigerator roughly 45 minutes before serving: When the cheese is too cold, it doesn’t have its full flavor. Allowing the cheese to sit out brings out the flavor and aroma. Also, you want the cheese at room temperature making it easier to cut and serve.

Label each cheese, if possible: This avoids people asking you the names of each cheese and allows them to pick what variety they feel comfortable trying. Even better, you can write a few words to describe its flavor. These Chalk Board Tags are so fun and work great!

Don’t Go Crazy with the pairings: While I provide many suggestions, don’t get overwhelmed with a ton of pairings. Choose one bread and cracker, one fresh fruit, nut and jam along with two savory items like pickles, salami, or mustard ought to do it!

How Much Cheese to Serve:

If your cheese board is one of many appetizers I suggest buying roughly 2 to 3 ounces per person.

Finally, Pair with Wine and Champagne

I prefer a crisp white wine like a Rosé or Sauvignon Blanc. Champagne pairs well with salty foods like nuts, and aged hard cheese like gouda and cheddar. It also goes great with fresh berries like raspberries and blackberries that aren’t typically too sweet.