Your Cheese Board

The platter

Let the event decide what type of patter you will be using. A summer lunch on the patio or under the trees will call for a rustic looking wooden board with enough space for a number of cheeses and their accompaniments. Place a few green vine or spinach leaves under the cheese to complete the Mediterranean look.

A spacious white porcelain platter is just the right option to place in the centre of the table after a dignified Sunday lunch at which your daughter introduced her new parents-in-law. The eye-appeal of cheeses increases if they are stylishly place on a white background.

Finally, if it is one of those very posh dinners where you have to impress your guests for a charitable reason, it will be best to place your handpicked cheeses on a stunning light coloured marble slab to substantiate the praise your cheese board is going to attract.

Variety and texture

Although it is “in” to use only artisan handmade cheeses because of their novel value and rustic appearances, one should remember that some of your guests might be traditionalist for whom you should include a good old Vintage Cheddar or Gouda. For this reason, it is wise to balance the board between old and new varieties. Washed rind cheeses with their almost bright orange rind, brie with a snowy white rind and blues with their blue-green-grey moulds are just the type of eye-candy, which will make your cheese board special. Be sure to include fresh, soft, semi-hard and brushed-rind cheeses as they all have very different textures and mouth-feel which is exactly what you need, to satisfy the palates of your guests.

Flavour

The answer is in variety but it must be a balanced variety, one cheese should not overpower the rest. The answer lies in, for instance, having a milky fresh cream cheese, a mild brushed rind Raclette, a Vintage Welsh Cheddar and a perfectly ripe Pont L’ Eveque. Do not forget to include a good goat’s or sheep’s milk cheese to stretch the taste buds of the traditionalists – they need it to make the gastronomic jump to more flavourful cheeses.

Shapes and colour

Different shapes and colours will add that extra dimension to your cheese board, while at the same time, complimenting one another. Do not just select wedges or blocks but be sure to include rolls, balls, heart-shaped and oval types – they attract attention and add variety. Your cheeseboard will be a feast if you have chosen the different shapes and colours such as pure white, creamy, straw and yellow cheeses.

Accompaniments

Whatever you do, do not serve the cheese with sandwich or toasted bread – and butter. This is a Victorian habit which we should bury. Use, if you must, some rustic French bread or a wonderful nutty whole-wheat loaf. The tried and trusted water biscuit remains the best, for it does not interfere with the flavour of the cheese.

Fruits such as fresh green grapes, red apples and figs give that extra authenticity to your cheeseboard. For the traditionalist, and those not yet weaned off peanut butter and jam, one can add a few preserved figs but you will get more compliments if you had rather put some pistachio nuts on the board.

Carrots and mushrooms do not do much for cheese but small pieces of very fresh celery and olives do add to the enjoyment of cheese.

• Do not serve the cheeses direct from the refrigerator but at least one hour later, when they are at around 15°C.
• Have at least three knives ready, to make it easier for guests to help themselves and also to prevent using the same knife for the blue and the fresh chèvre.