Ingredients
- 8 to 12 ounces (approximately 1 bar) Cabot Aged Cheddar (Options include 3 -Year, 10 -Year, Alpine, Clothbound, or your preferred Cabot variety)
- 6 ounces spiced or herbed Chevre
- 6 ounces soft-ripened cheese, such as Bijou, Camembert, or Brie
- 3 to 4 varieties of fresh and dried fruits, such as apricots, figs, clementines, strawberries, or grapes
- 2 to 3 styles of assorted crackers (for exmaple, herbed flatbreads, seeded water crackers, or whole wheat biscuits) Note - Choose gluten - free options if required
- A Half cup mixed nuts (choose one or two types like walnuts, pistachios, or Marcona almonds)
- 1 bar of premium chocolate, broken into bite - sized chunks
- Small ramekin of Cornichon pickles
- Small ramekin of olives
Recipe Note
While cheese boards are often seen as the go to centerpiece for holidays and big events, Cabot believes they are perfect for elevating the everyday, whether you are looking for inspiration for your next wine pairing or need a gift idea like our Classic Vermont Charcuterie Gift Box, you’ve come to the right place.
If you are tasked with bringing a platter to a party or hosting a celebration yourself, this guide will help you assemble a spread that is both visually stunning and delicious, you can easily stick to the ingredients listed below or swap them out for your personal favorites, to make serving effortless and elegant for your guests, ensure you have a proper cheese knives set arranged alongside the platter, no matter how you customize it, the result is sure to impress. We’d love to see your creations, so be sure to share your photos with family and friends on social media.
To build a successful board, start with a foundation of 3 to 5 different cheeses ranging from mild to bold flavors, we suggest utilizing Cabot’s longest aged cheddars (like the ten Year or Jasper Hill Clothbound) paired with a softer option like Chevre, for larger gatherings, you might want to pre cut the cheddar into cubes or slices for convenience, but leave softer wedges whole with a spreader from your cheese knives set nearby.
Bring your dairy to room temperature before serving to maximize flavor, don't hesitate to pile the cheese high, fill in the empty spaces with contrasting textures using the nuts, fruit and crackers to create a bountiful, inviting look.
Directions
- SELECT a large platter, wooden board, or serving plate that offers enough surface area for all your ingredients.
- TEMPER the cheeses by bringing them to room temperature for at least thirty minutes, to add visual interest, cut the firmer cheeses into various shapes, such as triangles, crumbles or rectangular slices.
- ARRANGE your three to five cheese selections on the board first, ensuring there is ample space between them for the accompaniments.
- SURROUND the cheese piles with groups of complementary flavors using your crackers, fruits, and nuts, nestle these items closely together to achieve a lush, full appearance. If space permits, include whole pieces of fruit for decoration.
- SCATTER the chocolate chunks in small clusters to offer a sweet counterpoint to the savory elements.
- PLACE the ramekins filled with olives and pickles onto the board to finish the arrangement.
