We are always on the hunt for a new delicious appetizer to serve for the holidays. Sometimes, going back to the classics is the best! One of my favorite treats I pick up when I feel like indulging is delicious cheese. It can be a little overwhelming sometimes to know what kind of cheese to get. With a little research and help from the local grocer we put together a beautiful and delicious cheese board perfect for Thanksgiving dinner.

Selecting the Right Cheese

There are 4 main types of cheese: soft, firm, aged and blue. A good rule of thumb is to include at least one of each type. That way, you have a cheese that is appealing to everyone!

SOFT CHEESE:

Goat Cheese 

Brie

Burrata

Camembert

Constant Bliss

FIRM CHEESE:

Asiago                      

Parmigiano

Pecorino

Mimolette

Manchego

AGED CHEESE:

Cheddar Cheese

Comté Cheese

Goat Gouda 

Gruyere

BLUE CHEESE

Gorgonzola Dolce

Valdeón

Stilton

Buxton Blue

Something Sweet, Something Salty

Cheese can have a variety of strengths, and sometimes pairing with something sweet and salty helps calm down the flavor of the cheese. Adding something sweet to your tray can also add to the beauty. Think cranberries, dried fruit, or a jam or honey spread.

To add a little salt to your cheese board, try adding some delicious olives, cold cuts {like prosciutto or ham}, or fine nuts {walnuts, cashews, or almonds}.

Finally, adding a light cracker or bread creates the perfect palette cleanser between trying the different cheese on your board. Make sure the crackers or bread are light and crispy, you don’t want to take away from the delicious flavor of your cheese!

Creating the Cheese Board

Now that you have all the ingredients for a perfect cheese board, it’s time to talk about the perfect serving pieces. I love to create the cheese board on a beautiful cutting board. It holds the cheese and garnishes in place, and adds a beautiful natural element to the appetizer. Marble cutting boards can be beautiful too, and don’t forget about your cutlery! You will want to have some sort of cheese knife for your guests to cut their pieces of cheese, and a jam knife to spread the jam. Here are a few of our favorites you can shop from the images below! {Just click on the image to take you to the website}

Cheese boards are the perfect addition to a dinner get together or holiday party. It looks beautiful, is easy to transport, and a delicious start to the night!