Don’t be cheese bored - put together a 'REAL' cheese board!
Holding a dinner party? Putting on a cheese and wine tasting? Not sure where to start? Don't worry, it's simple, just follow our guide lines or copy one of our three sample boards:
Decide how much cheeses you need
Allow 2oz / 60g per person if the cheese is part of a larger meal, or 3 – 4 oz / 90 – 120g per person if the cheese is the only food present. This is the amount of cheese each person needs ALTOGETHER and not for each cheese! Nothing is worse than tiny slices of cheese, so better to have a little more than required than not enough. Remember, it's not the end of the world if you have some left over – you can use the odd bits in cooking, or even freeze them.
Decide how many cheeses you want
To reiterate – there's nothing less appetising on a cheese board than tiny slices of cheese, you want CHUNKS! Therefore, think back to how much cheese you need. If it's a relatively small amount, stick to three cheeses, (no matter how tempting it is to buy FIFTYthree) as you can then buy a nice generous amount of each. If you're catering for more people and require a larger amount of cheese then you can afford to select a bigger range, without compromising the size of the pieces. Unless it is a cheese tasting however, you don't want to phase your guests with too much choice – six cheeses for a larger gathering is usually sufficient.
Decide which cheeses you want
Remember that variety is cheese king. Think of different types of cheese, different textures, strengths, milks and colours. And don't forget, just because you may not be the biggest fan of goats' cheese, doesn't mean your guests agree.
If you prefer, you can always email or phone us to ask for advice and recommendations –
we're always happy to help
A basic three cheese board, ideal for four people
1. Harbourne Blue – Strong and sweet, goats' milk
2. Black-Eyed Susan – Soft ripening cheese, cows' milk, coated in cracked black pepper
3.
Westcombe Cheddar – Full flavour, hard cheese, cow's milk
A delicious after – dinner cheese board for six or more people
1. Beenleigh Blue, strong and sweet, ewes’ milk
2. Sharpham – Soft ripening cheese, jersey cows’ milk
3. Vulscombe with Herbs – Soft fresh goats’ milk cheese, pretty!
4. Little Stinky – Smelly, creamy, orange coloured cows’ milk cheese
5. Keen’s Extra Mature Cheddar – Creamy and strong, cows’ milk
A simply stunning variety for a cheese and wine tasting
1. Blue Hills - tangy and creamy, jersey cows’ milk and goats’ milk mix
2. Blue Vinney - crumbly tasty cow’s milk
3. Goldilocks – soft ripening jersey’s cows’ milk
4. Withybrook Pyramid – Charcoal coated soft goats’ milk cheese, great shape
5. Rachel – Washed Rind goats’ cheese, good colour
6. Pendragon – Hard buffalo milk
7. Rustic Herb – Semi hard cows’ milk with added chive and garlic
8. Montgomery Extra Mature – Full flavoured tangy cheddar
9. Little Ryding – Soft, ripening sheeps’ milk cheese
