Charcuterie And Cheese: Perfect Pairing For A Board

A charcuterie board is a delightful combination of flavours, textures, and aesthetics. The best charcuterie boards have a mix of sweet and savoury, soft and crunchy, and bold and mild flavours. A good rule of thumb is to choose three to five cheeses with different flavours and textures. For example, sharp and crumbly (such as cheddar or parmesan), soft and bright (like goat cheese), firm and nutty (such as manchego or gruyère), tangy and funky (a blue cheese), or ripe and oozy (a brie).

Hard cheeses: Parmesan, Cheddar, Manchego, Gruyère, Asiago

Hard cheeses are a staple of any charcuterie board, offering a variety of textures and flavours. Here are some tips on selecting and serving hard cheeses, specifically Parmesan, Cheddar, Manchego, Gruyère, and Asiago:

Parmesan

Parmesan, or Parmigiano-Reggiano, is a salty, nutty, and crunchy cheese that pairs well with soft, creamy offerings on a charcuterie board. It can be enjoyed with crackers, bread, apples, grapes, dried fruit, or jams. When serving Parmesan, ensure you have a sharp knife or cheese shaver to allow your guests to cut thin pieces.

Cheddar

Cheddar is a versatile and popular choice, offering a range of flavours from sharp to medium to mild. It pairs well with green apples, walnuts, honey, grapes, and dates. When creating a charcuterie board, consider including a variety of cheddar cheeses, such as white sharp cheddar or cheddar with Scotch bonnet chillies.

Manchego

Manchego is a firm and buttery Spanish cheese. It pairs well with figs, crusty French bread, almonds, and green olives. Manchego also goes well with cured meats like prosciutto. For added texture and visual interest, slice the cheese into different shapes.

Gruyère

Gruyère is a firm and nutty cheese that falls somewhere between Cheddar and Parmesan in texture. It has a stunning orange colour and a salty, tangy, and caramelly flavour. Gruyère pairs well with aged port, stout, or champagne.

Asiago

Asiago is a hard and accessible cheese with a crumbly texture. It goes well with fruits like apples, as the sweetness of the fruit balances the salty and crumbly cheese. Asiago is a crowd-pleaser and a good option for those who are new to sampling cheeses.

When creating a charcuterie board with hard cheeses, remember to bring the cheese to room temperature before serving to allow the full flavour to develop. Also, consider adding condiments like honey, jams, or mustard to complement the cheeses.

Soft cheeses: Brie, Goat's cheese, Camembert, Boursin, Robiola Bosina Due Latte

Soft cheeses are a must-have on a charcuterie board, offering a range of textures and flavours. Here are some tips on how to include Brie, Goat's Cheese, Camembert, Boursin, and Robiola Bosina Due Latte on your next charcuterie board:

Brie

Brie is a popular choice for charcuterie boards and can be the star of your spread. It has a mild flavour and a soft, creamy texture. To elevate your brie, you can top it with fresh blackberries and a drizzle of honey, or warm it up to bring out its flavour and make it nice and melted. Brie pairs well with a variety of fruits, including apples, cherries, dates, figs, pistachios, and strawberries. You can also place a baked brie in the centre of your charcuterie board for a stunning visual effect.

Goat's Cheese

Goat's Cheese is a versatile option that can be spreadable or sliceable, depending on the type you choose. It has a tangy, creamy flavour and is a good alternative to blue cheese for those who don't enjoy its strong taste. Goat's cheese pairs well with crackers and a drizzle of honey or jam. For a unique option, try a cranberry or blueberry sweet goat cheese log, which offers the perfect balance of sweetness, tanginess, and creaminess.

Camembert

Camembert is a soft, creamy cheese with a mild flavour. It is similar to brie but has a stronger, more pungent aroma. Camembert is a good choice for those who enjoy the creaminess of brie but prefer a more intense flavour. It pairs well with fruits such as apples, cherries, and pears, as well as crackers and bread.

Boursin

Boursin is a soft, creamy cheese with a unique flavour profile due to the combination of classic Gournay Cheese and mouthwatering herbs and spices. It is perfect for spreading on crackers and adding a burst of flavour to your charcuterie board. Boursin goes well with cured meats and other cheeses, creating a harmonious balance of flavours and textures.

Robiola Bosina Due Latte

Robiola Bosina Due Latte is an Italian cheese that has been described as the best Brie-style cheese. It has a whisper-thin rind that gives notes of berries, and the paste is simply mild, milky, gooey goodness. This square-shaped cheese is often cut and sold in half rectangles, making it a unique and attractive addition to your charcuterie board.

Blue cheeses: Gorgonzola, Danish blue, Cambozola, St. Auger

Blue cheese is a common addition to charcuterie boards, and there are several varieties to choose from. Here is some information about four types of blue cheese: Gorgonzola, Danish blue, Cambozola, and St. Auger.

Gorgonzola

Gorgonzola is an Italian blue cheese made from either goat's milk, unskimmed cow's milk, or a combination of the two. It has a long history, dating back to the Middle Ages, but it only gained its distinctive blue veins in the 11th century when it started being infused with Penicillin Glaucum. Gorgonzola has a unique taste profile due to the use of this specific type of penicillin. It comes in two main types: dolce and piccante. Dolce is the milder, sweeter, and creamier variety, making it perfect for cheese boards. Drizzling it with honey enhances its flavour. Piccante, also known as Mountain Gorgonzola, is sharper, crumblier, and aged longer, making it ideal for salads where its texture shines.

Danish Blue

Danish blue cheese, or Danablu, was created in the early 20th century by a Danish cheesemaker named Marius Boel. It is a semi-soft, creamy cheese made from cow's milk and is considered a mild blue cheese compared to others. Danish blue is a versatile cheese that can be enjoyed as a snack or crumbled over salads. It has a sharp flavour and a creamy mouthfeel, with the "blue" flavour taking centre stage.

Cambozola

Cambozola is a hybrid of French Camembert and Italian Gorgonzola, originating in southern Germany in the 1970s. It is a rich, indulgent, double-cream blue cheese made from cow's milk and cream. It has a robust aroma and a sharp, buttery, nutty flavour with a hint of sweetness. Cambozola is a well-rounded presence on charcuterie boards, appealing to both lovers of gooey Camembert and aficionados of the dark veins of nuttiness in Gorgonzola. It pairs well with a variety of textures and flavours, such as salty bacon, toasted nuts, sweet and chewy dried or fresh figs, or crisp pears.

St. Auger

St. Auger is a blue cheese with a creamy, buttery taste and soft texture. It is a French blue cheese with a milder flavour compared to bolder blues, making it a good choice for those new to blue cheese. It has a high butterfat content of 60%, categorising it as a double cream cheese. St. Auger pairs well with sweet accompaniments like fruit or jams; for a flavourful treat, try it with fig jam on a cracker.

Spicy cheeses: Pepperjack, Pepper Jack Cheese

Spicy cheeses like Pepperjack or Pepper Jack Cheese are a great choice for charcuterie. Pepper Jack Cheese is a pressed cheese with peppers that adds a spicy kick to your charcuterie board. The peppers used in this cheese can be jalapenos, habaneros, or red chillies, which give it a nice aroma and a spicy flavour.

When preparing a charcuterie board, it is important to focus on the variety of textures and flavours. Pepper Jack Cheese is a semi-firm cheese that can add a spicy and creamy texture to your charcuterie board. It pairs well with crackers, nuts, and fruits like apples and pears. The cheese also goes well with cured meats like salami and other charcuterie classics like mustard.

If you want to get creative, you can even make your own Pepper Jack Cheese at home. The process involves heating milk, adding cultures and rennet, cutting the curds, and then cooking and pressing the cheese. However, making this cheese at home requires patience as it needs to be aged for 2-3 months before it's ready to be enjoyed.

So, if you're looking to add a spicy and creamy element to your charcuterie board, Pepper Jack Cheese is a great option. Its versatility and unique flavour will surely impress your guests and elevate your charcuterie experience.

Sweet cheeses: Blueberry goat's cheese, Strawberry champagne cheese

Sweet cheeses are a great addition to a charcuterie board, offering a contrast to the salty, savoury meats. Here are some ideas for sweet cheeses to include:

Blueberry goats cheese

Blueberry goats cheese is a sweet and tangy cheese that can be easily made at home. It is a beautiful addition to any charcuterie board with its technicolour swirls of purple-blue. This cheese is best served on crunchy, thin toasts, topped with thyme and drizzled with honey. It can also be enjoyed on crackers, bagels, or in grilled cheese sandwiches.

Strawberry champagne cheese

Strawberries are a classic pairing with champagne, and a strawberry champagne cheese would be a wonderful addition to a charcuterie board. Soft, creamy cheeses like brie and camembert are classic pairings with champagne, and their mild flavour and soft texture complement the drink's delicate bubbles and fruity notes. A triple-cream soft cheese would be the perfect match for a glass of champagne.

Frequently asked questions