The Best Cheeses For A Charcuterie Board

Charcuterie boards are a delightful combination of flavours, textures, and aesthetics. They are a fun and beautiful way to serve snacks or appetisers. The most important elements of a charcuterie board are meats, cheeses, savoury accompaniments, sweet accompaniments, and crackers. When it comes to cheese, it is best to choose a variety of hard and soft cheeses, as well as cheeses made from different kinds of milk. It is also a good idea to include at least one familiar cheese that your guests are comfortable with.

Soft cheeses: brie, triple cream, goat cheese, havarti, burrata, cream cheese

Soft cheeses are a staple of any charcuterie board, and there are plenty of options to choose from. Here are some tips for serving brie, triple cream, goat cheese, havarti, burrata, and cream cheese on your next charcuterie board:

Brie

Brie is a highly versatile mild French cheese that can be served as-is or cooked to make specialty appetizers. It pairs well with sweet fig jam and can be baked and drizzled with honey. When serving brie on a charcuterie board, it is recommended to slice a corner off the cheese to indicate how it should be consumed.

Triple Cream

Triple cream cheese is very buttery and creamy. Brillat-Savarin is a popular option in this category.

Goat Cheese

Goat cheese, also known as chèvre, is a crumbly cheese with a distinct flavour. It can be served as a log with herbs and nuts, or simply as a block on the board.

Havarti

Havarti is a creamy and comforting cheese. It is a good option to include on your charcuterie board as it is familiar to many guests and has a mild flavour.

Burrata

Burrata is a young mozzarella cheese that is perfect for spreading and dipping. It is often drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and seasoned with pepper (and salt, optionally). It goes well with fresh basil and cherry tomatoes.

Cream Cheese

Cream cheese is a versatile option that can be paired with pepper jelly or used in a cheese log with herbs and nuts.

When creating a charcuterie board, it is important to offer a variety of cheeses with different textures and made from different types of milk. It is also recommended to include at least one familiar cheese to make guests feel comfortable. Soft cheeses are a great choice for a charcuterie board, offering a range of flavours and textures that are sure to please your guests.

Hard cheeses: manchego, cheddar, swiss, gouda, gruyere, parmesan

Hard cheeses are a great addition to a charcuterie board, offering a range of textures and flavours. Here are some popular options:

Manchego

Manchego is a firm, buttery, semi-soft sheep cheese from Spain, with a deep yellow colour and a tangy, nutty flavour with grassy aromas. Its strong flavour means a little goes a long way. Manchego pairs well with salty, spicy meats, as well as bread, marinated olives and marcona almonds. It is best served in thin wedges.

Cheddar

Cheddar is a popular, versatile cheese that comes in a range of varieties, from white sharp cheddar to medium cheddar, and even cheddar with chillies. It pairs well with apples, walnuts, pecans, pears, honey, grapes and dates. Cheddar is a good choice to include on a board as it is usually universally loved.

Swiss

Swiss cheese has a mild flavour and a slightly sweet, nutty taste. It is a good melting cheese and goes well with fruits like apples, pears and grapes.

Gouda

Gouda is a semi-hard, sweet, creamy cheese from the Netherlands. It is one of the most popular cheeses in the world and is known for its rich, unique flavour and smooth texture. Gouda pairs well with fruits like apples, apricots, cherries, peaches and pears.

Gruyere

Gruyere is a hard Swiss cheese with a slightly grainy texture and a sweet, nutty flavour. It is a good melting cheese and goes well with fruits and crackers.

Parmesan

Parmesan is a famous Italian cheese known for its sharp, nutty flavour. It is often cut into wedges or crumbled and pairs well with fruits like figs, pears and dates, as well as prosciutto, balsamic vinegar, walnuts, grapes and honey.

Blue cheese: gorgonzola, stilton, bleu

Blue cheese is a must for any charcuterie board, and there are several varieties to choose from. Blue cheese is characterised by its blue, blue-grey or blue-green veins, created by the addition of Penicillium mould. It has a sharp, salty taste and a strong smell.

Gorgonzola is a specific type of blue cheese, produced in Northern Italy, specifically the Lombardy and Piedmont regions. It is made from unskimmed cow's or goat's milk and has a creamier texture and appearance compared to other blue cheeses. It is often only lightly marbled with blue-green veins. It has a milder aroma and taste than other blue cheeses, making it a good option for those who are new to blue cheese. Gorgonzola comes in two varieties: dolce, which is soft, buttery and creamy, and piccante, which is firmer, more crumbly and has a stronger flavour.

English Stilton is another variety of blue cheese. It falls between Roquefort, the strongest-tasting blue cheese, and Danish Blue, the mildest, in terms of flavour. It has a rich, creamy texture and a milder blue cheese flavour.

Blue cheeses pair well with fruits such as pears, apples, figs, grapes, and berries, as well as honey and nuts, which balance their intensity. They also go well with bright, crunchy vegetables, which is why they are often included in salads. Blue cheese can also be melted into sauces or used as a topping for burgers.

Flavoured cheese: pepper jack, chèvre, applewood smoked cheddar

Adding flavoured cheeses like pepper jack, chèvre, and applewood smoked cheddar can be a great way to bring something different to your charcuterie board.

Pepper jack cheese is a great option if you want to add some spice to your board. It pairs well with crackers, apples, honey, and pears. You could also try wrapping it with some prosciutto and baking it in the oven.

Applewood smoked cheddar is a fantastic choice if you want to add a subtle smokey flavour to your charcuterie board. You can buy a block of good-quality old cheddar and cold-smoke it yourself using applewood, or you can buy it pre-smoked. This type of cheese pairs well with paprika and can be a great way to add something special to your charcuterie board.

Chèvre, or goat cheese, is a perfect addition to a charcuterie board, offering a balance of sweet, tangy, and creamy flavours. It's a great option for spreading on crackers, and pairs well with blueberries, cranberries, and other dried fruits.

When selecting cheeses for your charcuterie board, it's a good idea to include a variety of textures and flavours. Soft cheeses like chèvre and camembert, hard cheeses like cheddar, and more unique options like blue cheese, offer a range of textures and tastes for your guests to enjoy.

Regional cheeses: Italian, French, Spanish

When it comes to creating a charcuterie board, choosing cheeses from a specific region, such as Italy, France, or Spain, can add a delightful touch of authenticity and cultural flair to your culinary creation. Here's a guide to help you select cheeses from these three countries:

Italian Cheeses

Italy boasts over 300 different DOP (Denomination of Origin Protected) cheeses, offering endless possibilities for your charcuterie board. A well-curated Italian cheese selection should include cheeses made from various milk sources to bring contrasting flavours and textures. Here are some options:

• Cow's Milk – Parmigiano-Reggiano, known as the 'King of Cheeses' in Italy, is a gritty, hard-textured cheese with a sharp, complex nutty taste.
• Water Buffalo Milk – Mozzarella di Bufala is the most common and arguably the tastiest buffalo cheese. It's firmer than cow's milk mozzarella with fresh and tangy flavours.
• Goat's Milk – Gorganzola, also known as 'the blue cheese of Italy', is a creamy and smooth variety, typically aged for around 60 days for a rich flavour.
• Sheep's Milk – Pecorino is a famous sheep's milk cheese that is usually aged for 1 to 2 months. It has a salty, spicy, and smoky flavour with buttery notes and a firm, crumbly texture.
• Combined Milk – Scamorza is made from pasteurised cow and sheep's milk, resulting in a smokey, milky, and chewy cheese with light notes of caramel.

French Cheeses

The French are passionate about their cheese, with over 1000 types made across the country's regions. When crafting a French-inspired charcuterie board, consider the following:

• Rule of 3's – The French typically serve an odd number of cheeses (3, 5, or 7) as it is considered aesthetically pleasing.
• Separate Knives – Always provide a separate knife for each cheese to avoid mixing flavours.
• Hard, Soft, and Stinky – Include a variety of textures and flavours, such as a hard cheese (Comte, Beaufort, or Gruyere), a soft cheese (Brie, Camembert, or Chèvre), and a stinky cheese (Roquefort or Bleu d'Auvergne).
• Room Temperature – Allow your cheeses to breathe and come to room temperature about an hour before serving.
• Cutting Technique – Be mindful of how you cut the cheese. For Brie, never cut the tip off as it's considered the best part. Cut round cheeses like Camembert in pie slices to ensure equal ratios of rind to gooey insides for each guest.
• Order of Consumption – Start with the mildest cheese, such as a soft Chèvre, and progress to the strongest flavours, like a blue cheese.

Spanish Cheeses

To craft a Spanish-themed charcuterie board, here are some cheeses to consider:

• Manchego – This cheese, made from sheep's milk, is a staple in Spain and can be aged for 6 or 12 months to develop a more intense flavour.
• Drunken Goat Cheese – Also known as "Murcia al Vino," this goat's milk cheese is soaked in red wine, giving it a distinctive purple rind and a tangy flavour.
• Iberico – A type of Manchego made from sheep's milk, often used as a substitute for the former.
• Cabrales – A creamy, mild blue cheese made from a mix of cow, goat, and sheep's milk. It has a strong flavour and is often served with dates.

Frequently asked questions