We are suckers for a dinner party with friends - from late summer backyard BBQ’s to candle lit pasta dinners that go well into the wee hours of the morning and leave you with piles of dishes and wine stained linens to handle in the morning. Our favorite hosting tip? Make a cheese board.
A cheese board makes you look put together (even if you aren’t), can be made ahead of time, can act as anything from a light snack to the main event, offers variety to guests, can be made for any season, and (our favorite part) they pair with literally every type of wine.
Maie we offer you some tips?
Work in Odd Numbers
Three Cheeses & One Spread, 5 Cheeses & 3 Spreads… you get the idea. This can be scaled up or down depending on how many people you are trying to feed.
Texture, Height, and Variety!
The key to a perfect cheese & charcuterie board is to have varying textures, heights and varieties. This trickles into everything from cheese selection to how you present the items on the board.
The Cheese - Pick a variety of textures and milk types. Think one hard crowd pleaser like a cheddar or gouda, one soft cheese like a brie or chevré and one funkier cheese like a blue or a washed rind.
The Display - Break harder cheeses down into manageable triangles, sticks, or crumbles that promote easy grabbing. Leave soft cheese whole or cut in half and crumble blue cheese.
Put things that pair well together near each other on the board to encourage pairings.
Our Perfect Pairings:
Brie + Apple + Honey + Sauvignon Blanc
Herby Goat Cheese + Baguette + Salty Almonds + Rosé
Gruyère + Walnuts + Pinot Noir
And don't forget to keep the wine flowing! As long as there is wine, good food, and an excellent playlist, you can do no wrong.
