With the party season inching closer, shortlisting menu items to feed a crowd might seem like a nightmare. You have to think about what to order, how much of it to order, figure out dietary restrictions and all these nitty-gritties that time doesn’t permit dwelling too long on. A cheeseboard is the perfect grazing platter for moments like these when you can throw together something that has a bit for everybody, looks beautiful and can be paired in a hundred different permutations.
Due to its highly versatile nature, a cheeseboard can be done in any way you prefer with different kinds of meats, fruits, cheeses, crackers and jams. The idea is to plan and understand what flavours might work well together and club them so guests can pick and choose what they want and how much of it. The perfect cheeseboard is a balance between sweet, salty, crunchy and creamy; so if you check all these boxes while deciding what to put on yours, you have yourself a simple but beautiful board. The idea is to have good quality meats and cheeses at all times.
Cheese
As an obvious addition to the board, it is necessary that you put down cheese that you like eating, so you can enjoy taking your guests through the textures and flavours. A hard cheese like cheddar or parmesan, combined with a softer, creamier cheese like brie or camembert, or a spreadable cheese like goats cheese, is perfect for a beginner’s board. Make sure to not have more than two or three cheeses at best. Stick your wheel of brie or camembert in the broiler for a few minutes so it’s beautiful and melty when served. Cut them in different ways for easy distinction.
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Meats
Cold cuts are the obvious choice for a cheeseboard. A spicy salami or thinly sliced roasted ham, some mortadella or prosciutto would be fantastic to start of with. Fold them into roses or lay them down on top of each other like a stack of cards for presentability. Be mindful of not placing all the meats together and scattering them around the board.
Fruits and Vegetables
Anything crunchy works; sliced apples, sugarsnap peas, celery, carrots, cucumber and even cherry tomatoes. Try and make sure that the vegetables you pick can be eaten raw. Since cheese and grapes are a combination that pair well, that is the obvious choice but don’t shy away from the strawberries or olives either.
Crackers
Super thin crackers that are ideally not too heavily seasoned would work just fine. If you happen to host guests that are prone to gluten allergies, have a couple of gluten-free options on the menu for them. Other things that you can put on your cheeseboard include seasonal jams or preserves, a small pot of honey, a slab of really good dark chocolate and even dry fruits.
Assemble your Board:
- Place your cheese in different corners all over the board.
- Place your jars of jams or dips in the centre and the cold cuts and crackers on either side of these bowls.
- Fill up whatever space remains with nuts, fruits, vegetable sticks and olives.