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How To Make The ULTIMATE Cheese Board
26K views
Oct 18, 2022
In this 'how to' video co-founder of Arousing Appetites Heather gives her advice on making the ULTIMATE Cheese Board! Most people might think you can just throw cheese and crackers on a plate, but that can't be further from the truth! It's important to pick a proper board, cheese, crackers, and other fun pairings to help create the perfect cheese board experience for your guests. To get a full play-by-play, check out the article: https://blog.arousingappetites.com/perfect-diy-cheese-board-platter-ideas/
View Video Transcript
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When I'm having people over for dinner, my go-to for starting the night off right is a beautiful and delicious cheeseboard
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It's the kind of thing you can prepare ahead of time and then just set it and forget it
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Today, I'm going to share with you some simple tips that I've learned on how you can create a spectacular cheeseboard
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Let's dive right in. First things first, we need to start with our board
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I personally love the look of a dark, wooden surface for my cheeseboards. It gives off a certain attitude and it's just a really pretty
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presentation piece that you can have laying out on your countertops for when your guests arrive
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And if you like to use a wooden board like I do, it's best to use one that's all natural
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meaning that it's one that you regularly season yourself. Pre-seasoned boards are pre-treated
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with unnatural mineral oils and mystery waxes, some of which are derived from petroleum. Since your board comes into direct
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contact with the cheese and other food you eat, make sure that you're eating clean by using
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a board that you maintain yourself. When hosting a large gathering, like 12 or more people
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a large rectangular board may be the right one to use. For smaller affairs, I like using
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round boards This one is perfect to serve six to eight people but if you only having two to four guests over this small board works like a charm Today I going to use a rectangular board and since I want a little extra surface area to work with I going to use the reverse side of my board
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Start by creating a point of visual interest in the center of your board. This could be a selection
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of grapes, figs, fresh berries, or on the vine cherry tomatoes. This visual interest will make
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all the difference in your final presentation. Let's talk cheese. For reference, you'll want two
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pounds total of assorted cheese for about every eight people user. You'll want to pick
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three to five different cheeses to feature on your board and we always want to
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think about three things when picking cheeses. texture, taste, and color. When it comes to
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texture, we start arranging the board with soft cheeses and move clockwise
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with harder cheeses after that. The exception to the rule is a crumbly blue cheese
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which comes at the end. People either love it or hate it, but it's a must on any
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proper cheese board. On my boards, I like to have an extra gooey cheese, a
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semi-soft cheese, a soft cheese, a hard cheese, and then a crumbly blue cheese
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First up is your soft cheese. This is a very young cheese that is not matured, so it'll be extra soft
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Today, I'm going to use an et-poise. This is a gooey, super runny cow's milk cheese from France that will definitely need
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a spoon for. Next you want a semi cheese something that has a high moisture content and is relatively mild tasting Classic options here are a nice French brie or camember or any nice double or triple cream cheese
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I'll be using a cowgirl creamery Mount Tam triple cream cheese today
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Now for a semi-firm cheese. This is a slightly mature cheese like a French Conté or an Italian
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Asiago. These cheeses will hold their form and will have a subtle flavor and aroma
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Today, I'll be using a Spanish Monsego. We now want a heart cheese
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cheese that's been aged at least six months. These cheeses have a harder and more crumbly texture
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and they carry a stronger aroma and saltier taste. You can use a well-aged cheddar or an Italian reggiano here
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But one of my very favorites is a mature Dutch gutta, like this one
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Finally, we have our blue cheese. Even here, you have tasty choices like a nice Italian gorgonzola or an English stilton
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Today, we're using a French rock for. Of course, the beauty of a cheeseboard is that you can make it your own
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If there's something you don't like, get rid of it and add more of something that you do
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If you're feeling stumped when cheese shopping, there's a little saying that can help guide you
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Something old, something new, something goat, and something blue. When all else fails, just remember this
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When plating, I try to present my cheeses in varying textures and sheaves
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I like to pre a few slices of my semi crumble my hard cheese cheese out my semi anything to encourage people to help themselves Another handy tip is to point your triangles outward making it even easier for your guests
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to dig in. All of these details give your board more visual interest and a more attractive overall presentation
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Next, let's get creative and jazz up your cheese board. This is where it really gets fun
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There are so many delicious accompaniments that you can have, such as bread and crackers
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honey and jam, nuts, fresh berries, or drawing. fruit or pickles and olives. For breads and crackers, I like to provide a variety of
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textures and sizes just like my cheeses. I prefer neutral flavored crackers, that way you can
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mix and match them with any cheese. Honey and jams are always a dream pairing with cheese. Here
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I have a nice fig jam that tastes beautifully with our Mangego. For some extra crunch
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you could also add an assortment of nuts to your board. Just be mindful of any guests with
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allergies. All of these little accompaniments can be displayed on a separate board, or
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If you have room, just add them straight onto your cheeseboard. The great thing about a cheeseboard is that it allows people to really get creative with what they put together
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Unique pairings are always a great conversation starter. And voila, there you have it
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The ultimate cheeseboard. Above all, remember to have fun with it. I'd love to see what you come up with, so please share a picture of your beautiful, cheesy creations with us on Instagram or Facebook
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