Presenting The Perfect Cheeseboard

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Presenting The Perfect Cheeseboard

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 by www Subscribe To My Feed

Relaxing with a drink and a selection of cheese and biscuits is the perfect way to round off a meal, whether the occasion is a formal dinner party or you are simply entertaining friends and family. A cheeseboard offers an alternative to dessert for your guests, who may not all have a sweet tooth! There are a huge range of cheeses now available in delicatessens and supermarkets, meaning that your cheeseboard can have a truly international flavour.

As a guideline, offer a selection of between four and six cheeses. Make sure that these are a good mix of the different types of cheese, for example, hard and soft cheeses, mild and strong flavours, familiar and unusual tastes. Hopefully that way the cheeseboard will appeal to everyone. Include some fresh fruit on the platter, such as sliced apples, fresh figs and grapes. This will not only add to the presentation, but the flavours will make a great accompaniment to the cheese itself.

Here are a selection of popular cheeses from around the world:

Hard cheeses (“curado” or “semi curado”)
Cheddar - The most popular English cheese. Available in both Red and White varieties. Choose mature or extra-mature for a tangy taste and plenty of “bite”.

Red Leicester - A rich golden red cheese with a milder taste. Should appeal to all.

Edam - Dutch semi-hard cheese with a lower fat content. Has a mild taste and a slightly “rubbery” texture.

Gruyère - Hard Swiss cheese with a strong flavour.

Jarlsberg - Danish cheese with a strong, almost nutty flavour and a hard, rubbery texture.

Red Windsor - Red veined cheese with a tangy flavour. The red veins are due to the addition of port.

Blue cheeses
It is generally wise to include at least one blue cheese on your cheeseboard.

Stilton - Classic creamy, blue-veined cheese. Semi-hard and quite salty. One of the milder blue cheeses.

Dolcelatte - Italian full flavoured , creamy blue cheese.

Gorgonzola - The Daddy of blue cheeses! Very strong Italian blue cheese with a characteristic smell. Not for the faint hearted!

Danish Blue - Another strong cheese from Denmark.

Blue Brie - Mild blue version of the popular soft cheese. Appeals to almost all.

Soft cheeses
Boursin - Soft spreadable cheese with characteristic garlic and herb flavour.

Camembert - Soft creamy cheese with a thick, soft white crust. Milder flavour. If buying a round of this cheese, it is ready to eat when the top crust bulges out slightly.

Brie - Soft French cheese with a mild and creamy taste. Comes in several different varieties, such as brie with herbs or blue brie.

Goats cheese
There are many different types of goat´s cheese on the market. Generally soft cheeses with a mild flavour.

If this doesn´t give you enough choices for the cheeseboard, have a good look around your local delicatessen. Many specialist cheeses come in unusual flavours. The addition of different herbs, chutney, beer, fruit and nuts makes for interesting and unusual flavour combinations.

Don´t be afraid to ask for a sample to taste, to judge which cheeses you think will appeal to your guests. And ask for advice – the store should be able to help you make a selection which will complement the flavours of the other dishes on the menu.

If you thought cheese was just for sandwiches, think again! And you don’t just have to serve cheese with crackers some mini savoury cupcakes would be fun.

Happy Eating
Lisa

Lisa loves to share her passion for food with you. Look out for more of her food ideas and check out these cupcake recipes and cupcake decoration ideas for your next party.

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