Though the saying usually goes, “I’ve got a second stomach for dessert” – there’s a significant portion of the population who’d swap the sweet stuff for all things savoury in a heartbeat. For those of us who are part of the latter group, the Wallace and Gromit-esque smile on our faces when someone wheels out a cheese board at the end of a meal is undeniable.
That is, as long as it’s done right. There are a few simple rules that one must follow when it comes to serving up a cheese board fit for a dinner party.
Firstly, it’s important that the selection of cheeses covers something fresh, something semi soft, a soft cheese, a firm cheese, and a bold cheese. Secondly, you’ll want to include a mild palette cleanser with some crunch to either follow or accompany the goods – this’ll likely be a selection of crackers or some slices of toasted sourdough.
The final, and most important rule of all, is all about how the cheese should be served up. Between 30 minutes to one hours before serving up the goods, you should take your cheeses out of the fridge and start arranging them. Allowing the cheese to reach room temperature just before serving ensures you’re getting the absolute most when it comes to flavour. Et voila, you’ve delivered a cheese board with maximum flavour.
If, however, you’d like to take it to the next level, you’ll need a variety of tasty accoutrements to compliment your expertly chosen selection of cheeses. Fresh and dried fruits, wonderfully rounded chutneys and jams, nuts, olives, and various antipasti. Aged Cheddars are extra delicious when paired with tart cherries, while Manchego and Roquefort work beautifully with sweeter, yet tangy, fruits and preserves.
We’ve rounded up a selection of the best tasty treats for your best cheese board yet.
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The cheeses
Fresh cheese
British Goat Cheese, 200g
This wonderfully fresh goat cheese from Fortnum & Mason is made from pasteurised milk and is the perfect choice for a creamy, dense and smooth option for your cheese board.
Buy now £11.95, F&M
Semi soft cheese
No.1 Beemster Dutch Gouda 150g
Super rich and delightfully creamy while packing a good ol’ punch, this Dutch Gouda is one of many culinary delights to hail from our friends over in the Netherlands. Cows graze freely on the lush grass of the Beemster Polder which is 20 feet below sea level – and have done for over 400 years – to provide a unique, delicious taste.
Buy now £3.35, Waitrose
Soft cheese
No.1 Rouzaire Brie De Meaux 200g
A classic for a reason, a good Brie is our favourite soft cheese choice for an expert cheese board. This Rouzaire Brie is made from Raw cows milk, is perfectly oozy, and carries notes of nuts and mushrooms. This strength five cheese is crafted by the Rouzaire family in the heart of the Brie region, where the curds are ladled by hand. Now that’s luxury.
Buy now £4.00, Waitrose
Firm cheese
No.1 Manchego Curado DOP
Your guests will be fighting tooth and nail to get their hands on the last cut of this divine Manchego. It is made from raw sheep’s milk sourced from La Mancha, Spain – and its rich, nutty flavour is simply to die for. To qualify for the DOP Manchego label as this cheese does, the cheese must be made with milk from Manchega sheep which graze on the Spanish planes of the same name.
Buy now £5.70, Waitrose
The accoutrements
Bold cheese
No.1 Cave Aged Roquefort AOP
Matured to complete perfection in the limestone caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in France, this wonder may not be for everyone, but its spicy, sweet and salty notes make it a cheese that’s got it all. It’s a strength six for a reason, as is made from raw sheep’s milk.
Buy now £3.55, Waitrose
Tracklements Fresh Chilli Jam Heart-Shaped Jar
If we weren’t already obsessed with Tracklements’ Chilli Jam, we definitely are now. Available in an adorable heart-shaped jar - this multi-award winning jam is made from an addictive blend of fresh red chillies grown in the Vale of Evesham, onions, garlic, red peppers, sugar and lemon. Gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan, scoop up a jar to pair with your favourite cheeses.
Buy now £6.50, Tracklements
Cultured Butter Taster
We know a cheese board usually already feels decadent enough, but if you’re a true maestro of the savoury you’ll want to scoop up a set of cultured butters from Dukeshill. Made from raw milk, these traditional salted butters are incredibly creamy with wonderfully subtle tangy notes.
Buy now £12.50, Dukes Hill
Fabbri Amarena Cherries in Syrup - Opaline Jar 600g
Amarena cherries grow wild in the Bologna and Modena regions of Italy and are known for their intensely tangy, yet somehow satisfyingly sweet taste. These iconic cherries by Fabbri are coated in a sweet, rich cherry juice syrup – the recipe for which hasn’t changed in over 100 years. Though mostly paired with sweet desserts such as ice cream and yoghurt parfaits, we think Amarena cherries pair delightfully with bold cheeses.
Buy now £8.80, Ocado
M&S Edible Viola Flowers
These edible viola flowers look as though they’ve been plucked directly from the illustrated pages of Alice in Wonderland. Grown by a small family-owned business in Worcestershire, these hand-picked flowers would make a showstopping addition to any cheese board. An incredibly delicate garnish, they don’t necessarily add a huge amount in terms of flavour, but they certainly look the part.
Buy now £1.85, Ocado
The Ultimate Chutney Trio Selection
A true cheese board is never complete without a scrumptious selection of chutneys, and this trio selection from Fortnum & Mason is sure to do the trick. It includes a fan-favourite fig and fennel chutney, a caramelised onion marmalade, and a blackberry and apple chutney. We’re getting all Pavlovian.
Buy now £15.00, F&M
Fine Cut English Breakfast Marmalade
Though marketed as a breakfast marmalade, this delightfully citrusy marmalade would work wonders on an after-dinner cheese selection. Sweet yet bitter, and perfectly smooth – this Cartright & Butler marmalade is the connoisseur’s choice for a reason.
Buy now £7.00, Cartwright & Butler
Tiptree Cranberry Jelly
This one goes without saying, really. Cranberry jelly is not reserved for Christmas lunch and Sunday roasts, and we’re judging you intently if you don’t adore pairing it with your favourite cheeses and crackers.
Buy now £3.00, Ocado
Olives Et Al Sunshine Rosemary & Garlic Olives
These aromatic rosemary and garlic olives are made using a unique and authentic recipe from a Greek island called Evia. The jar is chock full of a mix of addictive olives – including Kalamata and Green Olives – alongside sun dried tomatoes, plenty of garlic and the perfect amount of salt.
Buy now £6.50, The Newt in Somerset
Italian Nocellara Belice olives 510g
Extra posh olives? Yes please. These Nocellara olives in brine have also been carefully selected by the Devon-based Olives Et Al. Extra crunchy with a smooth, buttery flavour, you’d be remiss not to include these luxuriously cultivated olives in your cheese board selection.
Buy now £7.99, Selfridges
Belazu Smoked Chilli Nut Mix
Another fantastic option for that essential bit of spice, this selection of cashews, almonds and crunchy corn has been roasted with intense cayenne pepper and smoked paprika. Far from just a bar snack, some crunchy spiced nuts are an essential addition to your cheese board.
Buy now £2.88, Ocado
Daylesford Heather Honey
Heather honey is particularly special as it is harvested solely within a six-week period in the late summer. Deep amber with a uniquely smoky, bitter and beautifully sweet flavour – you’ll make your cheese board one to remember with this knockout.
Buy now £5.10, Ocado
Waitrose Seedless Grape Selection
We know we dissed grapes for earlier in this article, but they’re a classic for a reason. Make sure you’ve got a selection fit for green and purple grape stans respectively, as well as the in-betweeners.
Buy now £4.00, Waitrose
Waitrose Speciality Figs
The sweet, ever so slightly acidic nature of the Mediterranean and west Asian fruit cuts through the harder, saltier cheeses with delicious ease. You’ll be seeing fireworks behind closed eyes with this classic pairing.
Buy now £2.85, Waitrose
Waitrose sliced artichoke hearts
In our humble opinion, too many antipasti options can overwhelm and frankly ruin a perfectly good cheese board. We recommend sticking to a singular option, our particular favourite being preserved artichoke hearts. The oily, soft and melt-in-your-mouth texture of a good artichoke heart provides an excellent, nutty accompaniment to most cheeses.
Buy now £3.50, Waitrose
Hides Fine Foods - Dried Apple Rings 500g
We think dried apple rings make an interesting textural addition to a varied cheese board. Airy, bold and flavourful, you’ll be surprised by how many hands will be reaching past freshest of fruit for these sweet snacks.
Buy now £8.99, Amazon
Peter's Yard Sourdough Crackers Selection
This selection of crackers from Peter’s Yard has been crafted from slowly fermented sourdough for 16 hours. Highly artisan and offered in original, rye & charcoal, and poppy seed flavours – you truly can’t go wrong with picking up this box of crackers before your next dinner party.
Buy now £6.65, Waitrose
Kent & Fraser Gluten Free Cranberry & Almond Toast
Plant-based, wheat free and gluten free, these miniature toasts are a fabulous addition to your classic selection of crackers. The sliced almonds add a brilliant extra crunch, while the sporadic cranberries provide a welcomes burst of sweetness. We highly recommend spreading your favourite soft cheese over one of these delights.
Buy now £2.60, Ocado
