How to create the ultimate cheeseboard for New Year’s Eve

New Year’s Eve is finally upon us and to celebrate we’ve decided to eat our weight in cheese!

That’s right, we might not be able to sashay across the dance floor until the wee hours tomorrow night, but we can make a mean baked brie.

Putting together a well-balanced, wow-worthy cheeseboard isn’t exactly a last minute decision. There’s planning and prepping involved and quite a bit of taste testing, let’s be honest.

In order to make things easier for you, we’ve put together this simple guide on how to create the ultimate cheeseboard which is sure to impress any party guest this festive season.

Step One: Select your cheeses

For maximum flavour you’ll want to diversify your cheeses as much as possible. Opt for a sharp cheddar and a smoked applewood, alongside a tangy blue cheese and a smooth goats cheese. A cranberry infused cheese is always appreciated around this time of year too. For extra indulgence we highly recommend baking a small wheel of camembert, top with strawberry jam and toasted almonds and then pop it back in the oven for another five minutes. This goes perfectly with some fresh crusty bread — yum!

Step Two: Add your carbs

No cheeseboard would be complete without a vast array of carbs, such as salty and herb flavoured crackers, artisan breads along with a handful of bread sticks and twists.

Step Four: Don’t forget your fruit and nuts

A variety of fruit and nuts can add another layer of dimension and flavour to your cheeseboard so feel free to add a sliced apple or pear, a quartered fig or a bunch of grapes. Some toasted walnuts, pecans, almonds or hazelnuts would also work wonders and add a lovely crunchy texture.

Olives, sun dried tomatoes and pickled gherkins would also be a great addition!

Step Five: Incorporate some cured meats

To make more of a meal out of it, try adding a selection of cured meats like salami, prosciutto, chorizo or mortadella.

Step Six: Bring on the sauces

Chutneys, relishes, jams and honeys are an essential part of any well-rounded cheeseboard, so make sure to stock up! You don’t need one of everything but one or two might be nice, for an added sweet or savoury flavour.

Step Seven: Prepare your tools

When serving a cheese board up to guests it’s important that everyone knows what they’re getting, as not everyone can eat every kind of cheese. For example, pregnant women cannot eat cheese with unpasteurised milk, including brie, camembert, Danish blue or other cheeses made with goat’s milk. Therefore we recommend sticking little labels into each cheese and making sure each kind has its own cheese knife.

Step Eight: Dig in and enjoy!