Create The Perfect Christmas Cheeseboard

Festive cheesesHave yourself a very merry cheesemas with the Belle About Town guide to creating the perfect cheeseboard.

It’s no secret that the perfect festive spread is the way to your family and friend’s heart and no meal is complete without a cheeseboard to finish off! But whether you’re a cheese connoisseur or just a choosy cheese lover, this guide will ensure your cheesy spread is top cheddar. As experts in all things cheese, we went to Pilgrims Choice cheddar to help guide us through creating an amazing and memorable cheeseboard.

FESTIVE FLAVOUR

– Cheddare your guests to try something new by adding unusual cheeses. A spicy cheddar is guaranteed to get your guests talking

– Position the cheese from mild to strong, letting your guests know the scale.  Serve similar amounts of each cheese

– In Britain the tradition is to serve cheese after dessert but in actual fact we’re muddling up our taste buds

– Serve your cheeseboard before dessert as it doesn’t make culinary sense to jump from savoury to sweet and back. Plus, that way you get to eat cheese quicker!

DECK THE HALLS

– Decorate the board with some edible wild flowers, herbs or seasonal leaves

– Char-grilled vegetables, dried fruit, apples, fruit cheeses and pickled walnuts work well with almost all cheeses

– Traditional chutneys provide a scrumptious accompaniment to the cheese, but make sure the flavour isn’t too strong and one is usually enough

– Avoid over decorating with additional nibbles, you don’t want the cheese to be overshadowed

CHEESY WONDERLAND

– Make sure the cheeses are all around the same weight

– Serve the cheeses at room temperature – this allows the cheese to breathe and reach its full flavour

– Offer a range of textures and tastes by choosing different types of cheeses

 BELLE’S BEST CHEESEBOARD CHEESES:

Boursin – go for the ever-popular garlic and herb, or take a Christmas twist with the cranberry and black pepper

Wookey Hole cheddar – a deliciously nutty, tangy, cheese produced in the famous Somerset cave.

Stinking Bishop – for a change from the standard blue cheese Stilton, go for this pungent choice.

Godminster Brie – a creamy and organic British brie, set with vegetarian rennet

 

  • Emily Cleary

    After almost a decade chasing ambulances, and celebrities, for Fleet Street's finest, Emily has taken it down a gear and settled for a (slightly!) slower pace of life in the suburbs. With a love of cheese and fine wine, Emily is more likely to be found chasing her toddlers round Kew Gardens than sipping champagne at a showbiz launch nowadays, or grabbing an hour out of her hectic freelancer's life to chill out in a spa while hubby holds the babies. If only!

    View all posts

You May also Like