Creating the perfect cheese board is nothing short of an art form.
If done well, you’ll have a curated platter that (almost) looks too good to eat.
First, what you’ll need.
In terms of the board itself, Smith is partial to a square, wooden platter.
“You’d be surprised how far a dinner plate of dense food goes,” Smith notes.
5 steps to cheese board artistry.
Ready to place your produce?
Here are the steps to cheese board success:
First, fan out your cheeses.
The first tip is to show off the star of the boardthe cheeses, of course.
you’re free to even swap the cheese for something else that’s fan-friendly, like creamy avocado.
Just slice a few halves and fan them out on the platter.
Create your edges.
Create an “edge.”
Make mini mountains.
Style them into little florets, sectioning them out across the platter.
It’s the key to keeping your cheese boards stylishly cluttered rather than messy.
Fill in the gaps.
Even with those mini mountains, you’ll likely have small gaps in between your piles.
Perhaps the finest line in the art of cheese board making.
Make it pop.
If you have edible flowers or herbs, that’s stellarit’ll give the platter quite the sensorial experience.
Pairing ideas.
OK, so you’ve got the basics down.
But to really make your cheese board stand out, why not experiment with some mouthwatering flavor combinations?
Smith’s go-to is to pair honeycomb with Brie.
“It’s an absolute must,” she gushes.
you’ve got the option to definitely opt for themed boards, if that’s more your jam.
You’ll follow the same method, but with a certain list of ingredients.
To serve.
Creating the board takes around 30 to 45 minutes, depending on how adept you are at assembling.
So by the time you finish the platter, the cheese should be at the perfect serving temperature.
“Show it off!”
Smith advises (presentation is technically the sixth step inthe method, after all).
Even if that means snapping a picture to share on your next Zoom call before digging in.
The takeaway.
As with all forms of art, cheese-board-building is inherently subjective.
You might love an abstract, Jackson Pollock-esque cheese boardand that’s OK!
There’s no reason to agonize over where to place your manchego.
