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December 2019 | REDONLINE.CO.UKASSEMBLING
YOUR
CHEESEBOARD
The board
It’s better to have spare room
than not enough; it’s never good
to have cheese, nuts or anything
else squashed up together or
falling off the sides of the board.
Remember to leave plenty of
room for people to cut more
off the cheeses and serve
themselves.
Serving utensils
For very soft cheeses, use either
spoons or rounded butter knives.
For soft cheeses with a rind,
use knives with sharp edges
and thin blades. Firmer cheeses
need sharp-edged knives, while
hard cheeses can be ‘chipped’
away at with small, wide blades.
Get creative
Placing leaves underneath
cheeses adds a natural, attractive
element. Fresh grapevine leaves
are a classic, but some large tree
leaves (sycamore, chestnut and
maple, for example) are also
good. Edible flowers add a flash
of colour and can be easily
tucked into open spaces on the
board or directly on to fresh
cheeses. Just make sure that
leaves and flowers are cleaned
before use, and are food-safe
and pesticide-free.
Leftovers
If there are any leftovers,
wrap them in cheese paper.
It is specifically designed to
let cheese breathe, while not
allowing too much moisture to
escape. If you can’t find cheese
paper, use coated butcher’s
paper or wax-lined paper
and store the cheese in
a plastic container.As an aperitif
Champagne and cheese is a classic pairing,
but steer clear of yeasty Champagnes and
sparkling wines and opt for those with
well-balanced crisp acidity, like Pol Roger.
The idea is to lay this board out and let people
help themselves over a long period of time.
The cheese Parmigiano Reggiano PDO,
(multiple producers; Emilia-Romagna, Italy).
When serving this classic as a table cheese,
make sure the wedge is freshly cut from its
wheel, and allow guests to chip away at the
jagged interior paste. Small chunks of excellent
‘grana‘ cheeses are perfect with sparkling
wines; the multi-layered flavours in the cheese
meld beautifully with the crisp bubbles.
Substitutions Grana Padano PDO (Italy), Gran
Kinara (Italy), Old Winchester (Lyburn Farmhouse
Cheesemakers; Wiltshire), Västerbottensost
(Sweden), Gran Moravia (Czech Republic).
The cheese Saint André (CF&R; France).
This silky triple-cream round has a bright
white, edible rind and a buttery paste.
Substitutions Brillat-Savarin (France), Pierre
Robert (France), Délice de
Bourgogne (France), Finn (Neal’s
Yard Creamery; Herefordshire),
Elmhirst (Sharpham Wine &
Cheese; Devon).
The cheese Moliterno al Tartufo
(Central Formaggi; Italy).
This six-month-old sheep’s milk
cheese becomes toothsome and
piquant before it’s injected with a glorious
paste of truffles and extra virgin olive oil.
Substitutions Sottocenere al Tartufo (Italy),
Crutin (Italy), Melkbus 149 Truffle (Holland).ACCOMPANIMENTS
Crisp Champagne or
sparkling wine
Fresh pears
Seedless white grapes
Buttery crackers
Bay leaves, to garnish