Festive Killer Cheese Board
/We are almost ready for holidays - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve. This is why I thought it would be a good idea to give you an excellent inspiration for your gatherings today and the coming weekends.
Today I want to show you how you put together a tremendous cheese board that seems to have run away from a Rembrandt painting, and that will surely impress your guests. The killer cheese board is colorful and gives your guests a luxurious feeling. And after all, it's a party, so you can just go crazy.
Now you may think, how hard can it be? I just put a pack of brie, a Port Salut, and a blue mold cheese on a plate, grab Melba toast next to it, and it's done. That's how I used to do it at parties, but it's so much more helpful to put a little more effort into it. You know, just go the extra mile for your guests. After such a long lockdown period, everyone needs that little extra!
The cheeses
Depending on how large your board becomes (and whether you also add meats), I recommend choosing 3 to 5 kinds of cheese. Choose the tastiest cheeses that are not too similar in terms of taste, so everyone has something.
Mild (goat) cheese
I opted for a piece of young, mild goat cheese. This is nice and soft and good to start with. A soft sheep's cheese is also delicious.
Creamy soft cheese
Port Salut is a delicious, creamy red cheese that does not have a strong taste. Pineapple cream cheese is also delicious. If your guests are not necessarily those cheese lovers, you can also opt for spreadable herb cream cheese (such as Boursin), La Vache Qui Rit dots, or Babybell.
Brie
An absolute must on your cheeseboard. You are always in the right place with a delicious brie. You need something that is tasty and creamy, so if your guests are at least connoisseurs in the field, you have something higher quality.
Blue
Salty and spicy cheese, a reasonable variation on the other cheeses. Consider a Roquefort or Danablu.
Hard, spicy cheese
For people who like cheese but are not necessarily fond of soft, French cheeses. Think of a delicious Manchego, blocks of Old Amsterdam, spicy Cheddar, or Parmesan cheese. Also lovely, and if you REALLY want to unpack a Tête de Moine cheese. With a special slicer, you can make beautiful cheese curls with it, and this looks very impressive!
Sweet
To give your cheese board that luxurious, holiday appearance, it is essential that you add some sweet and savory products to it in addition to the cheese. Cheese, for example, tastes delicious with fruit. Think of fresh figs, dried dates, dried cranberries, dried apricots, pomegranate, red and white grapes, but also raspberries, thin slices of apple or pear, and strawberries taste great with it. Date or fig bread looks great and gives the cheese a sweet note, just like a fruity jam, honey, or compote.
Savory
First of all, it is, of course, vital that you can put the cheese on something, so don't forget your toasts! Melba toast, water crackers, more luxurious toasts with a taste, slices of baguette. You can choose one type of toast or alternate nicely. A bowl with olives also combines well with cheese or breadsticks, pickles, cherry tomatoes, and various nuts. Also, don't forget the mustard with the hard cheeses.
If guests are coming who don't like cheese at all, then it's a good idea to put some tasty sausage between your cheeseboard. Think of fuet, delicious prosciutto, or salami. In this way, even non-cheese lovers will enjoy themselves!
The structure
A Killer Cheese Board is larger than the average cheese board, so make sure you have a large plate, a large board, or a tray on which you can arrange everything nicely. It would be a shame if you could not get to show off all your cheeses and other purchases. I think you should definitely have a shelf of at least 40 x 60 cm. A tray is a super good idea because any tomatoes or nuts cannot just roll off. But, hey, that’s up to you!
I find it most comfortable to start with the cheeses and the bowls. I simply distribute them here and there on the shelf. Then I put the fruit down, and I also pay attention to the balance in colors. So I alternate red grapes (which are a bit purplish) with something red (tomatoes, raspberries, pomegranate), something oranges (fig jam, dried apricots), and something green (slices of pear, apple, olives, pickle). In this way, you create a very colorful plank that will soon be a feast for the eyes!
Then fill in the blanks with crackers, toasts, nuts. The trick is to create a full board to see little or no empty spots without it becoming a mess. The balance in colors plays a significant role here, and you can use the toasts to 'clear' an area. This gives a vibrant, luxurious, and festive appearance, resulting in a beautiful cheese board that is absolutely Pinterest or Instagram worthy!
I think it is a real pleasure to put together and make a beautiful cheese board and I am sure it will taste good because it looks merely so WONDERFUL! I hope you can use these tips and inspiration to start building your own Killer Cheese Board! Everyone has their own style (Google on 'killer cheese plate' for even more inspiration), but it is especially important to give it your own twist and to adjust the board to your wishes and taste every time. Of your guests.
A cheese board is perfect as a party snack, for drinks, and as a starter or as a dessert. Don’t forget to pair it with the right Port, red wine, or dessert wine. Ah, I LOVE this so much!
