Cheese Plate 101: How to Create a Fabulous Cheese Board

In today’s post I’m sharing everything you need to know about throwing a fabulous cheese and charcuterie board together, just in time for the holidays. From holiday entertaining to couple’s night in I am ready to rock a cheese board any day of the week.

If you are looking for an elegant way to wow your guests this holiday season (or really anytime) a cheese board is the way to go! The best part is that putting one together is beyond simple. Cheese boards have become an entertaining go to because I can easily keep all the fixings on hand, pick up what I need last minute and throw them together in a matter of minutes. 

No matter the event, occasion or get together I can customize a platter for two or twenty. From an assortment of cheeses and meats, to nuts, fresh and/or dried fruit, pickles, olives, crackers and so much more there’s something for everyone to munch on and enjoy. I’m dishing out all my how to’s, so get ready to seriously impress your guests at your next shindig!

Cheese Plate 101: How to Create a Fabulous Cheese Board

When it comes to creating a delicious cheese board I love to include a variety of cheeses, Italian meats, crackers and breads, and all the accouterments (tasty sides) you could want!

My go to cheese board

This is what my favorite go-to cheese platter looks like:

• Gouda
• Brie
• Honey goat cheese
• Prosciutto
• Salami
• Homemade apricot jam
• Olives
• Fresh grapes
• Cornichons
• Raisin rosemary crisps

I have an obsession with platters, boards and trays. Every time I go shopping I ooh and aww over them and then use considerable willpower to not buy yet another one. But, they are just so pretty, don’t you agree? 

I like to prepare my board wherever I am serving it so get out your board and get ready to make some cheese and charcuterie board magic! The size of your board will depend on how many guests you are serving. You can also customize what you serve on your board based on the size of your group. Don’t worry if you don’t have a large board you can use an assortment of boards and trays if needed. It will still look pretty fabulous.

Let’s start with the main item on your plate: the cheese.

Cheese

When it comes to cheese there are so many options! You’ll find soft, semi-soft, semi-hard, hard, aged and blue are all great choices. So where to begin? I try to have a variety of cheese ranging from soft, semi-soft, hard, and aged. Personally I’m not a fan of blue cheeses so you won’t find any on my cheese plate, but the beauty of a cheese plate is that it can be different every time! I have a selection of go to cheeses I really love. I know that gouda and brie or camembert will always be crowd pleasers so I make sure I have at least one of those. I also love manchego, goat cheese (especially a honey chèvre), and cheddar. Not sure what you like? Figure out what you like by trying one new cheese each time you make a cheese plate. I recently added a Le Délice de Bourgogne cheese to my board and it was (almost) everyone’s favorite. Rich, creamy and all around amazing.

Charcuterie

If you are wondering what charcuterie is, it’s the French word for cured and smoked meats. When I make a board it’s a cheese and charcuterie board because you have to have meat too of course! I love salami and prosciutto. If you are looking for a third or more meats you can add summer sausage, pepperoni or even turkey slices to your board.

Crackers

I like a variety of crackers and breads as well. Artisanal crisps, bagel bites, baguette slices, classic water table crackers and thin breadsticks create lots of choices to pair with your cheeses. I love getting different colors too, like a beet or sweet potato cracker. If you have a variety of cheeses, I recommend a variety of crackers. An artisanal crisp goes nicely with a honey goat cheese, a classic round or water table cracker with your gouda and brie, and a flavorful sweet potato with your  manchego. With a selection of cheeses, meats and crackers your guests (and you) can mix it up and discover your favorite combinations.

Building Your Board

Spread your cheese out and layer in ingredients. My favorite
accouterments (those tasty side items) are mixed nuts with dried fruit, cornichons (little French pickles), olives, capers and jam in dishes.
You can layer small bowls in right on your board or to the sides. Add some crackers in on the boards as well as in bowls. Fresh fruit like grapes, sliced apples or pears and figs are also perfect for cheese boards. And don’t forget the chocolate! I go for a nice dark chocolate because it pairs very nicely with the cheese. Once your board is all set up cut a few slices in the cheese and then simply leave your knives in the cheese and let your guests self serve. Less prep work and it will help keep your cheese from drying out.

Watch this video to see how I layer in all my ingredients. It’s easy, fun, and with hardly any effort at all, looks fabulous.

I do most of my cheese board shopping at Trader Joes because they have all the cheeses, meats and crackers I like. Their prices are also very reasonable and cheese can get pricey.  I tend to keep a lot of things on hand as I love to make cheese boards. However, I picked up everything for this spread at Trader Joes and it came to a grand total of $50.46.

Here’s my list: Cheese:  Manchego Anejo Aged, Gouda, Honey Goat Log, and Le Delice De Bourgogne. Crackers: Raisin Rosemary Crisps, 3 Seed Sweet Potato Crackers, 3 Seed Beet Round Crackers, and Italian Breadsticks. Meat: Italian Combo Pack and Columbus Salami. Sides: Cornichons, Green Olives, 72% Cocao Dark Chocolate, Trek Mix (nuts & fruit),  and an Apple.

When I have a friend or group of guests over for dinner I throw a simple version of this together as an appetizer. This allows me to chat with my guests and still finish up dinner. Keeping them happy and me relaxed! Don’t worry, this is a feast of a cheese board and will easily serve as a fabulous appetizer for a group of 15-20. When serving a cheese board, don’t put everything out all at once. Start with about a third and refill a few times. You’ll notice that it’s pretty hard to completely polish it all off, but one cracker may be more of a hit than another and so on.

It’s not a perfect science: which is the beauty of it! Every time I serve a cheese board it’s a little different than the time before. 

Ready to throw your own cheese plate together? Still have questions? Ask me anything you are wondering in the comments below!

xoxo Naomi

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