Cheese Board - Several varieties of specially selected cheeses, served for dessert, accompanied by certain foods and drinks. In order to serve such a board, you should be guided by some rules.
Cheese selection rules
A classic cheese board consists of five to eight different types of cheese with different textures and flavors. Sometimes they choose varieties from different countries or from different types of milk - cow, goat, sheep, buffalo. It is good when cheeses can also be cut so that they are of different shapes - cubes, triangles and circles. When choosing “aged” cheeses, look for cheddar, gruyere and gouda, then look for soft cheeses with aromatic rinds such as brie and camembert; among fresh cheeses, burrata, ricotta and mascarpone are classics. Of the goat cheeses, the most popular choice is the chevre cheese, and among the blue cheeses, the Stilton is the most popular.
When calculating the amount of cheese, take 30-40 grams of each variety per person.
The cheese is served at room temperature, so it is cut in advance and kept, spread out on a cheese board and covered with a damp cloth, ordinary medical gauze is best suited. They either cut the cheeses with different knives, or carefully wash and wipe the knife after each grade, thus not allowing the aromas and flavors to mix.
How to spread cheese on a board
The arrangement of cheeses on the board also has its own rules. Small pieces of blue cheese are placed in the center, soft cheeses are placed around them, hard varieties are placed on the outside. It is important to make sure that there is enough space between the slices of soft cheese and that they will not stick together when softened.
What to serve with cheese
Cheese is served with sliced soft French baguettes, sweet and salty crackers, breads with herbs and seeds, bread with pieces of nuts or fruits, bread sticks and crackers, as well as various savory pickles, olives, gherkins, sun-dried tomatoes. A good addition to cheeses is, oddly enough, meat, but not simple, but cured and smoked, such as prosciutto ham or salami sausage. The classic combination is cheese and fruit. Serve pears, apples, grapes, figs to the cheese plate. Honey, jam and nuts are also served with cheese.
Sometimes cheeses are served with aromatic chutneys and mustard.
Fruit and fortified wines, dry stylish wines such as Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay, light red wines such as Pinot Noir, beer or fruit juices are served as drinks for cheeses.
What should be a cheese board
The cheese board is usually wooden, but marble, ceramic and glass boards, as well as wide plates, can also be used.
