anatomy of a cheese board: winter edition

Feb 14

Feb 14 anatomy of a cheese board: winter edition

Cheeseboards are an absolute go-to for entertaining, a romantic evening in, or a random Tuesday when you want to live it up. I thought what day better than today, to chat about cheese, as it is one of my loves! The very title of this post alludes to the fact that there will be other seasonal cheese boards, and that would not be an incorrect assumption.

The thing I love most about boards, like bowls, is the opportunity to experiment with flavours, colours, and textures. It’s fun to incorporate seasonal fruit, nuts and seeds, and different shapes and sizes of crackers. Over the years, I have learned a few things that can be helpful when putting boards together, so I thought I would share:

You should aim for a variety of hard, soft and creamy cheeses. Some of my go-to’s are Brie/Camembert, Boursin, Gruyere, Oka, Spiced Gouda, Welch Cheddar, Blue, and Grey Owl…Depending on the size of the board, I like to have 1-2 soft kinds of cheese (one that is spreadable), a firm cheese (think cheddar or gouda), and a hard cheese (Gruyere or Parmesan). I’ll often seek out Canadian cheeses but am open to a variety.

*I like to start with the cheeses on the board as the central pieces.*

While I am certainly interested in the overall aesthetic of a board, the number one thing is how easy will it be for my guests to consume the damn thing. I’ll often slice or dice firmer cheeses, so guests aren’t struggling with the knife or pre-crumble a blue so it doesn’t get smeared everywhere. I tear meats into bite-size pieces, and I’ll usually take the first bite before guests arrive, so they aren’t intimidated to dig in.
I’ve indeed become a fan of stinky cheeses over the past couple of years, but recognize it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. I typically limit the stink to one cheese on a board, maybe two if it’s a particularly large board.
For meats, I stay pretty safe: Prosciutto, Genoa Salami, Chorizo Sausage and sometimes little pepperettes- although my new favourite is Mortadella. Once in a while, I will add in a store-bought pate or a peppercorn salami. I’ll often roll, fan or pile the meats to add height and texture.

Once you have your cheese and meats down- think of fruits, nuts, and seeds that you may already have at home. In the winter, I love to add citrus, melons, and grapes vs. the summer where I add loads of fresh and juicy berries. Almonds, walnuts, and cashews add a variety of shapes and pair well with most cheeses.
Olives are a must for me. I’ll usually add these in a small pottery bowl, so they don’t grease up my board and roll around. I like to either get a mix or my favourites- castelvetrano, for a bright green pop. Other items I’ll have in jars or bowls are hummus, red pepper jelly or honey. These add height and of course are delicious topped on a cracker with cheese!

Crackers are typically the last items I add to the board. They fill in the blank spots and add plenty of texture. I prefer to stick to crackers as I find they’re lighter, but will sometimes opt for a homemade crostini.

Take your cheese and meats out of the fridge 30 minutes in advance to serving. Assembling a board is one of the last things I do before guests arriving, but there are things you can do in advance to get prepped.

I should clarify, at the end of the day, cheese is divine, and you could throw two or three cheeses on a plate and chow down, and it will be incredible. But if you’re inclined to get a little crazy, try the board out and please share your creations with me!