Are you wondering what to include on your cheeseboard this festive season? We all work so hard to make sure everything is perfect at Christmas but sometimes the cheese board is overlooked as we all focus on the traditional turkey and the mince pies. As you might expect we think the cheese board is just as an important! There are so many opportunities to enjoy cheese over the Christmas period whether it is after dinner, for nibbles with friends or for a festive supper.
Here’s some advice for creating the perfect cheeseboard.
Choosing cheese for Christmas is something some of us love, picking our favourites and perhaps adding in something different we wouldn’t normally buy to make it a bit special. The problem is that the pressure to get everything right at Christmas can make even choosing delicious cheese seem like a chore.
The key is to keep things simple. Choose a hard cheese, a soft cheese and a blue cheese and you won’t go far wrong. Once you’ve selected these then maybe add something you’ve never tried before or a cheese that you know is a particular favourite of someone in the family, they’ll appreciate the effort. You could also think about adding something festive and a bit different like our Royal Red (cheddar with port wine) or wensleydale & cranberries or white stilton & apricots. There is something particularly Christmassy about cheese with fruit and these are often a hit with children and those who prefer milder flavours.
It’s also worth considering whether any of your guests are lactose intolerant, if so they will really appreciate the inclusion of a sheep or a goat’s milk cheese.
Add the obligatory bunch of grapes, perhaps some caramelised onion chutney, quince jelly and a choice of crackers and you have a cheeseboard that should please everyone.
Remember to take the cheeses out of the fridge around an hour before you plan to eat them so that they can come to room temperature and be enjoyed at their best!
