How to assemble a festive cheeseboard
This blog comes courtesy of fine homeware company Rebecca Udall. Their team asked us how to put together a festive cheeseboard — and we were happy to help!
A cheeseboard is to your festive food and drink what a Christmas tree is to your decorations: essential. For many of us, it is the highlight of Christmas Day – both the care given to assembling your cheeseboard and the moment when you can finally enjoy it. We all have different traditions (perhaps your cheeseboard is enjoyed pre-dinner, or it is saved for an evening treat) but it wouldn’t be Christmas without it. We asked the people at Neal's Yard Dairy to share their expertise in creating a memorable cheeseboard this Christmas.
A bountiful cheeseboard on a hand-painted dish. Photo courtesy of Rebecca Udall
Which cheese should you use for your festive cheeseboard?
Rather than worrying about which cheeses are the most interesting, opt for your favourites. Christmas is a time of indulgence and comfort, when you just want people to get stuck in. Having said that, blue cheese is a Christmas tradition that we love to uphold! We recommend having at least one hard, soft and blue cheese on your board, as a great starting point that covers all bases. Alternatively, you could go for a theme instead, such as a range of blue cheeses or even hone in on sheep or goats milk cheese.
How many cheeses should your cheeseboard include?
We always recommend going for fewer cheeses but larger chunks of them. Around three to five cheeses gives you enough variety without your guests being overwhelmed with too many options. Less is definitely more. Let each cheese shine!
What accompaniments do you recommend for a classic cheeseboard?
For a simple cheeseboard, allow the cheese to be the main attraction with a side of good quality bread and butter, and perhaps a few pickled onions. If you want your cheeseboard to look great, accompany it with seasonal fruit. Christmas cheeseboards can be jewelled with slivers of pears, fresh walnuts and slices of glistening damson or quince paste. You could also add dark grapes and figs.
Christmas cake, figs, and Cornish Yarg on a cake dish. Photo courtesy of Rebecca Udall
What unusual or festive additions could you add to your cheeseboard?
At this time of year, we love eating cheese with sticky spiced bakes. Wensleydale and Christmas cake is a traditional pairing, but you can play around with the theme of cheese paired with dense fruit cakes. Try Colston Bassett Stilton with gingerbread, Kirkham’s Lancashire with mince pies, or Appleby’s Cheshire with Christmas cake. The creamy, salty cheese stands up well to the strong spiced flavours of these bakes, contrasting beautifully.
What drinks should you pair with a cheeseboard?
It really depends when you want to eat your cheeseboard. We like serving a cheeseboard as an aperitif with a crisp sparkling wine. Your guests may not have the appetite to do a cheeseboard justice following a big festive meal, so it can be nice to see everyone grazing on it while the main meal is cooking. Sharing a cheeseboard can be a great conversation builder too, and can get people chatting if you’ve invited a mixed group of friends.
Otherwise, off-dry white wines or fortified wines pair really well with blue cheese. Similarly to fruit cake, the sweetness of them really works well with the salty, umami hit of the blue cheese. Be careful with red wines not to pick anything too heavy that could overpower the delicate flavours of some of the lighter cheeses.
How should you present your cheeseboard?
It really depends on the atmosphere you are trying to create. Presenting cheese ‘whole’ is great because it’s easy for the host and encourages guests not to be shy and to dig in. It’s a good option if all your guests are comfortable with each other. The downside is that the cheeseboard can end up looking really messy, and there’s always the risk that people will either be nervous of cutting the cheese ‘incorrectly’ or that someone will actually be annoyed that the cheese has been cut ‘incorrectly’! Sometimes, to avoid the perceived political minefield of cheese etiquette, it’s safer to pre-slice your cheese. It can look very elegant and makes it easier for people to get involved.
If you're looking for a beautiful dish to present your cheeseboard, you can browse Rebecca Udall's hand painted platters.