Oh my! I love cheese! So big surprise that I love to make cheese trays when friends come over, right? Sometimes picking out cheeses can seem overwhelming, especially if you’re not that familiar with a larger variety outside of cheddar, mozzarella, Colby jack and Swiss. all of those are fine, I just like mixing it up a little bit.
Cotswold – a double glouster cheese with onions and chives added. This tastes a lot like a medium white cheddar, but creamier. In England this is known as a popular pub cheese and served with cold beer. I love it with dark rye or pumperknickle bread!
Vintage Gouda Aged 5 years – this is another one of my very favorites, again with dark rye or pumperknickle bread. This nutty, crunchy cheese is slightly crumbly and very complex in flavor. It has a caramel, salty flavor and is great with cold beer and wine.
English Cheddar with Caramelized Onions – again another one of my very favorites! This one is addictive for me…again, I love it with dark rye or pumpernickel. Also known as Abbot’s Gold.
Tintern – This is another great pub cheese with shallots and chives, combined with a creamy white cheddar.
Harlech – This Welch cheese has a strong, creamy cheddar that is blended with horseradish and parsley. This cheese gives a great contrast to a cheese board.
Royal Stilton – England’s best! Creamy, smooth and milder than many other bleu cheeses. YUM! Great for breads, crackers, pears or apples. Don’t eat rind.
Manchego – Sheep’s milk cheese. Firm, creamy, buttery cheese with a distinctive sheep’s milk flavor.
Rauchkase – Semi-soft, rich, buttery Bavarian cow’s milk cheese; smoky aroma with a delicate smoky flavor. Brand: Bruder Basil
Smoked Gouda – Holland’s most famous export is Gouda. This Gouda is hickory smoked and has a nutty, creamy flavor with a robust smokiness that is great for snacking! Excellent with cold beer.
Kirchtagskase – Sunday’s Best – A hard cheese from the Alps, piquant and spicy flavors of herbs with a nutty taste.
Gruyere de Comte Reserve – Nutty, slightly salty French Gourmet cheese.
Boursin – cow’s milk and cream (spreadable cheese), garlic, salt, pepper, parsley and chives. Available in other flavors.
Sopressata – A traditional Italian dry pork salami with a distinctive flavor. It is similar to pepperoni, but much more flavorful.
Busseto: Poivre Moulu – flavorful Italian dry salami rolled in black pepper. Available in other flavors.
Salami Tartufo – dry pork salami flavored with black truffles.
Breads & crackers…
Cocktail Pumpernickel Bread
Mini Toasts
Your favorite crackers – Mine are Breton Sesame!
I am addicted to Blue Diamond’s BOLD Wasabi Soy Sauce Almonds…they are soooo good!
Some additional cheese that I like to supplement are some of Tillamook’s variety. Tillamook has very good high quality cheese at affordable prices. Here are some that I really like:
Tillamook Extra Sharp Cheddar
Tillamook Hot Habanero Jack
Tillamook Smoked Black Pepper White Cheddar
Tillamook Smoked Cheddar
Once you buy all the goods, It’s best to slice hard cheeses into bite sized pieces, semi-hard cheeses into cubes or wedges, soft cheeses into small wedges, while leaving your spreadable cheeses whole with a cheese knife along side. I like to break apart bleu cheeses into manageable, rustic chunks, while leaving large pieces in the background to help identify the cheese. The larger pieces can be cut by the guests as the pre-portioned pieces run low. Arrange your cheese, fruit, nuts and meats on a large platter or wood board with several cheese knives. Don’t forget your crackers, breads and toasts. Use your imagination, the sky’s the limit!
Enjoy!
I would love to hear from you! Let me know what your favorite cheeses are…I would love to try them!!!
Thanks for this post! I love the idea of a cheese board- it feels fancy yet personal at the same time. I’ve never done one before, exactly, but when I was picking out cheeses for my wedding reception, I remember seeing many reasonably priced specialty cheeses at Costco and Sam’s Club.
Great post! I have a son that HATES cheese so I actually just took him to the cheese factory, made him pick out several types of cheese, come home to taste them and write a report about it! Hee hee. But, we tried this one that I super love…it’s made by Beehive Cheese here in Utah and it’s called Whole Moon. Yum!
I want one of everything, right now! I do believe I could live completely off cheese and crackers 🙂
this post is awesome! nothing better than a plate full of cheese!!!! it was very educational and mouth watering! i can’t wait to try one!
At Christmas time, my husbands family gets together and has a wonderful feast with Norwegian specialties including Gjetost. It’s best cut thin with a cheese slicer. It’s good with some jelly, and has a nutty flavor (similar to peanut butter). Try it, you’ll like it. We usually also have some Brie at the dinner, I love the soft creamy texture of Brie. Thanks for your great ideas!!
Great post! I lived in France for a little while and loved that so many families have a dinner cheese tray as an appetizer nearly every night. Now I just dream of roquefort and camembert with baguettes, *sigh* but you have me re-inspired to [actually] use the gorgeous cheese tray I have at home.
Oh, how I love cheese. This is a great post! My very favorite “fancy” cheese is Long Clawson Mango Ginger Stilton. It’s kind of a dessert cheese because it’s so sweet. But it’s beyond delicious.
Love the post! With the holidays approaching making a cheese tray is a fun way to get creative with your palate and your friends!
I tried a very sharp WHITE Irish cheddar at a winery in Napa once and I have never tasted anything like it….delicious!!!
This information was incredibly helpful!!!!! Now I’m going to have fun making my cheese tray for the pre prom dinner for 6 teens and 12 adults! Thank you so much!