How to Build a Stunning Cheese Board

Dazzle your guests with a beautiful Cheese Board filled with an assortment of cheese, fruit, nuts, honey, olives and crackers. 

Do what is healing to your spirit and without effort you will bring the world healing in return. – Alan Cohen

Learn how to build the most beautiful Cheese Board!  As a caterer, I have assembled hundreds of cheese boards and cheese platters throughout the years. With no cooking required, they can be assembled ahead, in just a few minutes,  with very little fuss and are a feast for the eyes!

Here are my best “tips and tricks” to building a stunning cheese board- one that will WOW your guests!

My BEST advice? Start with what’s in season, and let this inspire you. This could be autum leaves or budding spring branches, fresh figs or pomegranates, or fresh summer berries or fall pears.  You can take this in any direction you desire and create a beautiful, edible work of art!

Components of a cheese Board

1. Cheese.  Pick 3-6 different varieties, choosing soft, semi-firm and hard varieties. Plan on 1-2 ounces per person.
2. Crackers or bread. Pick 2-3 varieties. Seeded crackers, a gluten-free cracker and a sliced baguette makes an excellent selection.
3. Fruit.  Pick 2-3 seasonal varieties. Apples, grapes, figs or pears (or something seasonal), along with fresh berries- blackberries, raspberries, or pomegranate seeds.
4. Nuts. Include at least one variety of nut, like Marcona Almonds, or make these Maple Pecans. Place these in a bowl.
5. Olives. Include 1-3 varieties of olives in different colors and sizes, like castlevetrono, kalamata and nicoise.
6. Optional additions: Honey, mustard, fig jam, something pickled (asparagus, green beans, peppers or onions) extra large capers, tinned fish, and fresh herbs for garnishing.
7. Optional Charcuterie.  Keep the cheese board vegetarain or add cured meats: Bresola, Genoa Salami, prosciutto, Sopressa, Mortadella, Coppa, Jamon ZIberico, Rillettes, Liver Mousse or Pate. One ounce per person is plenty.

Best cheese for a Cheese Board!

Use a selection of soft, semi-firm and hard cheeses. I always include one blue-veined cheese. Having a variety is really nice for guests.

• Soft cheeses: Brie or triple cream brie, Camembert, Chevre, etc.
• Blue-veined cheeses- gorgonzola, blue cheese, cambazola
• Semi-firm cheeses; Aged cheddar, gouda, gruyere, fontina, smoked cheeses
• Hard cheeses: manchego, pecorino, parmesan, aged goat cheese
• Misc. Cheese spreads, cheese curds, vegan cheese (creamy cashew cheese pictured below)

How to make a Cheese Board or Cheese Platter

1. Place  your selection of cheeses in different areas of the board or platter, spreading them out.
2. Add something salty or savory like a jar of buttery Castelvetrano olives or cured meats, and a bit of texture, like spiced or roasted nuts and seeds. Marcona almonds and Peppered Maple Pecans are some of my personal favorites.
3. Next add something sweet like honey – always a good option – as well as fruit preserves, fig jam or chutney. If feeling so inclined this is where you could add your own homemade touches – like olive tapenade, fig jam, apple butter.
4. Don’t forget good quality crackers . . . like these Raincoast Crisps, crispy and flavorful and packed full of fruit and nuts. They taste as good as they look.Or make your own crackers- these Rustic Seed Crackers or our Sourdough Crackers are a great addition!
5. Tuck in greenery- sprigs of herbs, fall leaves, branches, flowers!

How to elevate a cheese board!

Pick something seasonal or special to add.  Here I’ve highlighted seasonal quince and roasted them with honey and hazelnuts (see recipe card).

Crispy nutty cracker + creamy brie + roasted quince + honey + toasted nut = THE PERFECT BITE!

Pair with some wine and you are good to go!

Treat the cheese board like a canvas. This is your work of art! Have fun with it!

1. Choose a color palate!
2. Consider texture.
3. Contrast flavors- sweet, salty, umami, sour!

The most important thing when creating a  cheese board, is to have fun with it, be playful and create. It’s a fun way to be creative in the kitchen!

Cheers friends!

Sylvia

More recipes you may like:

• 25 Best Appetizer Recipes
• Charcuterie Board
• Fig Bruschetta with Cambozola and Sage Honey
• Peach Bruschetta with Goat Cheese, Basil  & Infused Honey

How to make a Cheese Board

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• Author: Sylvia Fountaine | Feasting at Home
• Prep Time: 20
• Cook Time: 40
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 6-8 1x
• Category: Appetizer
• Method: Assembled
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

How to make a Cheese board! Simplify gatherings by creating a beautiful Cheese Board. With little or no cooking required, they can be assembled in a few minutes with very little fuss.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1/2x1x2x

• 1 – 1 1/2 lbs cheese (3-5 varieties – one blue-veined, one creamy brie, one hard aged, one semi firm)
• 3 or more kinds of seasonal fruits – persimmons, pear, apple, figs, grapes, pomegranate, blood oranges, berries
• 1 cup olives- try Castelvetranos
• 1 cup toasted or spiced nuts- Try these Maple pecans or Marcona almonds
• 1/2 cup honey, jam or preserves
• fresh rosemary, sage or thyme sprigs for garnishing
• Sourdough Crackers or Rustic seed crackers

Honey Roasted Quince ( or pears)

• 4 quince
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup crushed toasted hazelnuts

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Instructions

1. Gather a few small bowls, and place them on one large cutting board or platter. Place board where it will live for the event.  Fill  the bowls with nuts, honey, preserves, olives, roasted quince.  Arrange cheeses on the board around the bowls.
2. Tuck in the cut fruit into the gaps and add sprigs of fresh herbs or surround the boards with colorful fall leaves.
3. Add crackers and utensils.
4. Play around and have fun – it’s kind of like decorating or painting. So much fun!!!

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Notes

Honey Roasted Quince:

1. preheat oven to 375F
2. Slice quince into ¼ inch thick wedges (no need to peel) and toss with oil. Spread out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper and place in the oven for 30 minutes, stirring once, halfway through. After 30 minutes, drizzle with honey, stir, and return to the oven for 10 more minutes, turning the heat off. Place in a bowl and top with crushed toasted hazelnuts. Place on the cheese board.

 

Feel free to add charcuterie!

Nutrition

• Serving Size:
• Calories: 286
• Sugar: 9.6 g
• Sodium: 284 mg
• Fat: 19.4 g
• Saturated Fat: 7.8 g
• Carbohydrates: 17.9 g
• Fiber: 2.2 g
• Protein: 11.5 g
• Cholesterol: 37.4 mg