A cheese board is a wonderful thing. Sometimes it’s dinner while watching Game of Thrones and Veep. Sometimes it’s an easy appetizer for entertaining. Get your guests a drink and point them towards a cheese board and they’re happy to wait while you finish up dinner.
Below I’m sharing my suggestions for a cheese board with something for everyone. Feel free to share your favorite cheese board items and soon we’ll make this the go-to place for the cheese board of your dreams.
Something Pickled/Brined
Pickled/brined items balance out the richness of the cheese.
- Quick Pickled Radishes
- Fresh Refrigerator Pickles
- Summer Squash Pickles
- cornichons
- Olives – I prefer pitted olives from an olive bar to avoid awkwardly getting rid of pits
- Caper Berries
- Grainy Mustard – great if serving with thinly sliced bread
Fruit
Fresh fruit adds color and freshness, but dried fruit or jam is great when fresh fruit is not in season. You can serve jam poured on a big slice of brie or serve it in a bowl on the side for spreading on sliced baguette or crackers. Fig jam is one of my favorites for a cheese board.
- Fresh citrus segments, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, melon
- Dried apricots, dried cherries, dried prunes
- Fig, raspberry, plum or cherry jam
Soft Cheese
Soft cheese is easy to spread and adds a creamy texture to your cheese board. Leave your cheese out for at least an hour before serving.
- Goat cheese rolled in dill – a favorite
- Humboldt Fog – an incredible goat cheese that is tangy in the middle and creamy under the rind
- Roth Kase Buttermilk Blue Cheese – a little funky and sharp, but delicious
- Saint Andre Triple Cream Brie – Decadent and wonderful with some jam
Firm Cheese
Aged cheeses are usually more nutty and salty. Again, leave out for at least an hour before serving.
- Roth Kase Vintage Van Gogh – aged gouda
- Le Marechal – a nutty, firm swiss cheese made from raw cow’s milk
- Piave Vecchio (red label aged 10-12 yrs) – Italian cow’s milk cheese that is our favorite
Crackers/Bread
I like using a basic type of cracker as not to complete with the rest of the flavors on the cheese board. If going the gluten-free route, rice crackers are a nice option. You can also thinly slice a baguette and serve fresh or lightly toasted.
- Crackers
- Thinly sliced baguette
yes! i need to make a chessboard this weekend for a brunch. this is perfect. loooove humboldt fog!
I know it’s probably autocorrect, but wouldn’t a cheese board on a chessboard be amazing and beautiful? 🙂 Humboldt Fog is sooooo good.
i am so hungry right now.
Cheese does that to me, too 🙂
OMG Humboldt Fog. Confession: I’m getting too cheap to buy it for gatherings anymore. So selfish, but that stuff is pricey!
You’re right, it is. Whole Foods regularly puts it on sale and that’s when I scoop it up. It doesn’t often coincide with entertaining plans, but I’m always ready to have cheese for dinner 🙂
Totally planning on surprising my hubs with some goat cheese rolled in dill this weekend thanks to you! I think it will look all kinds of cute next to the pink radishes. Gotta love the entertaining opportunity a long weekend provides. And now excuse me while I hit your fresh refridge pickles link.
You’re cute! I’m cheese boarding again this weekend, so we’ll be twins!