If you are hosting a big dinner, a cheese board will steal the show with its rich flavors. However, the art of making Italian cheese boards isn’t something that anyone can excel in. So, here we have shortlisted some valuable tips for our readers on how to create a perfect cheese board that will help you to win over your guests.
Let’s dive into it.
Buying Basic Cheeses
The best step towards creating a mouth-watering combination is to find a good cheesemonger. Along with having the best collection, they will be able to offer valuable advice and knowledge. Your goal should be to choose three to five cheeses of different textures and milk. The three different kinds of cheese (1 oz. of each cheese) will be enough if you will serve a multi-course meal along with the board.
While you are choosing popular Italian cheeses, make sure one of them is of entry-level along with cheese that most people aren’t aware of. Other than that, the basic cheeses we recommend to be a definite part of the board include, cheese made of:
- Cow’s milk
- Water buffalo milk
- Sheep’s milk
- Goat’s milk
Arrange the Platter
Before serving the cheese, make sure you take it out of the fridge, so it comes down to room temperature. Try to be creative with the board choice. It is equally as important as the cheese itself. If you are serving hard Italian cheeses, try to cut uniform pieces before serving. However, in the case, if cheese starts to crumble, you can start cutting the chunks using a paring knife instead of thin slices.
Order of the Cheese Matters
Eating the cheese in the wrong order can compromise its taste. Make sure you serve the cheese in order of light to heaviest. It will enable the guests to enjoy the platter to the fullest. If you are looking to get a variety of cheeses, you can check out the collection of authentic Italian products at Sogno Toscano.
Choose the Accompaniments
The most common companions to use along with the cheese are olives, figs, pears, honey, and jam. However, do not restrict yourself to these choices. A good cheese board is a pairing of different ingredients. You can try out chocolate with Gouda, or bacon with washed-rind cheese. Furthermore, if you are serving Blue Cheese, you can always pair them with sweet ingredients like caramel, chocolate, or jam. Along with this option, you can also try sweet things with popular Italian hard cheeses including Parmigiano-Reggiano.
When it comes to choosing crackers or bread, there are plenty of options available. For more of a neutral option, get water crackers or a baguette. If you want something unique and complex, you can serve texture-driven options like crostini or seeded crackers.
Make a Classic Italian Cheese Board
When it comes to making a classic board, you can simply add good bread, as Italians do. However, if you want more of a fancy option, you can add dry fruits, marmalade, etc.