The Red, White & Blue Cheese Board

A cheese board, plate or course is a delightful, satisfying addition to any meal or celebration. A typical cheese course contains just a few ounces of cheese per person, accompanied by another food, often seasonal fresh fruit, dried fruit and nuts or even chocolate along with thin slices of handmade bread or artisan crackers, cured meats, olives and more.

Select three to five cheeses of varying flavors and textures. Many prefer three because it doesn’t challenge the palate with too many flavors yet provides good variety and contrast. When selecting cheeses, create a range of flavors and textures from soft to hard and milk to sharp, even pungent varieties.

- A bloomy rind cheese such as Brie, Camembert or Formagella.

- A soft or washed-rind cheese such as Teleme or Crescenza.

- A semi-firm hard cheese such as Raw Milk Cheddar, Gouda, St. George or Toma.

- A very hard aged cheese such as Dry Jack, Aged Gouda, Cheddar or Estero Gold.

- A highly flavorful or pungent cheese such as Blue, Schloss or flavored and spiced cheeses.