Whether you just want a small platter as a little snack with an evening glass of wine or creating a masterpiece as an appetiser for friends and family gatherings, this article will help you whip up an impressive creation.
Creating a beautiful cheese board can be quite a challenge, especially if you are not particularly artistic. However, like everything, you can learn it, and if you follow our steps below, you will surely impress all your loved ones.
TIP: Make sure all ingredients are in bite-sized portions. The exception is the cheese itself if you place a cheese knife next to the board.
Ingredients
There are no strict rules for what can and cannot go on a cheese board. Basically, anything that you and your friends enjoy will work. It’s also important to consider which fruits and vegetables are in season and try to use those.
To make it a bit easier for you, we’ve compiled a list of all-time favourites:
- Cheese
- Soft cheese like brie or camembert
- Semi-hard cheese such as cheddar or gouda
- Hard cheese like parmesan
- Blue cheese
- Olives
- Note: If you buy olives with pits, don’t forget to add a bowl for the pits.
- Fruits
- Apples, pears
- Peaches, apricots
- Berries
- Grapes
- Mandarins
- Vegies
- Cucumber
- Greens like rocket or lettuce
- Gherkins
- Cherry tomatoes
- Nuts
- Walnuts
- Almonds
- Pistachios
- Meats
- Prosciutto
- Salami
- Crackers and Bread
- A couple of types of crackers
- Focaccia
- Dips
- Basil pesto
- Jams
- Any dip you like
Assembly
Prepare all your ingredients on your kitchen bench. Use small bowls if you have any – they look amazing on the board!
Start with the largest items. These could be your bowls with dips and cheese. Try to place them at random positions on the board to create smaller gaps that you can fill with smaller items. Follow with meats (if using) and crackers. Your board should now be about two-thirds full. Look for the biggest gaps and fill them with pieces of fruit and nuts. Fill any small gaps with anything you have left over – maybe add a little more cheese here and some greens there (greens like rocket or lettuce look amazing as they add another colour to the mix!). And you are done!
Don’t forget to add cheese knives and spoons for dips if needed.
PRO TIP: Don’t overthink it!
Wine Pairing Suggestions
If you want to make this quite decadent, then we recommend pairing with our sweet sticky Late Harvest Dessert Reisling or for a more well balance, all around wine you can’t go wrong with the Reserve Sauvignon Blanc.
The More You Practise, the Better You Will Get
We want to see your creations!
Send a photo of your cheese board in the comments of our Facebook Post or post it on your page and tag Toi Toi Wines until 31 July 2024. We will then choose the three best, who will receive a special code for 20% off our wines!
