Mmmm… cheese. Is there such a thing as too much? Never! That’s why I love cheeseboards. This edible centerpiece allows me to indulge in my guilty pleasure. It’s also an impressive party appetizer (we will get back to entertaining one of these days) that requires minimal effort—no complaints here! In a few simple steps, I’ll show you how to make a cheeseboard that’s beautiful and how to pair it with complementary candles—because what is life without luxury candles?
Creating a Cheeseboard: What Do I Need?
There are no rules set in stone; your cheese board can be as simple or extravagant as you want. Here are some suggestions.
1. Ingredients
A Good Selection of Cheeses
The cheese, of course, is a must. Sometimes, one really great cheese is enough—it makes for a great conversation piece, too. However, I recommend including a variety. Three is a good amount, but you can go as high as seven different types if you like. Be sure to include both soft and hard cheese to vary the texture. You could even choose one cheese for each different type of milk—cow, goat, and sheep—or highlight cheese made from a single milk type. Some cheeseboard staples include Brie or Camembert, mild Cheddar, Gruyere, and Blue cheese.
Meat – Aka Charcuterie if You Want to Be Fancy
When picking your charcuterie, it’s a good idea to choose the same amount of meat as you did cheese. So if you have 3 kinds of cheese on your board, choose 3 types of meat. Some popular meats include Prosciutto, Dry Cured Salami, Mortadella, and Sopressata. Mix it up to keep things interesting—after all, variety is the spice of life.
Dried or Fresh Fruits
There’s something about the varying degrees of sweetness from fruits that pairs perfectly with cheese. Some common fruits to include when creating a cheeseboard include apples, grapes, pears, soft dried apricots, fresh or dried cherries, oranges, figs, dates, and berries.
Nuts
Salted or unsalted pecans, almonds, macadamia, pistachios, and walnuts all work well with cheese. Consider throwing in one fun flavor such as toasted coconut almonds to offer a unique twist for the taste buds.
Crackers and Bread
You need a vehicle to get all that cheesy goodness into your mouth. A French baguette offers the perfect portion size once it is sliced. As for crackers, the choice is yours.
2. Display
How to make a cheeseboard look great? Organized chaos! Start by arranging your cheese from soft to hard on your board. Then break the cheese blocks up and cut some slices for ease of eating. Next, place your charcuterie between your cheeses.
I highly recommend placing the rest of your ingredients in a semi-haphazard way. Not only does it ensure that there are no gaps in your arrangement, but it’s fun too. Edible flowers are a great way to make things look pretty and fill in gaps, so carefully place a few of those on the board, while keeping them off the cheese. Rosemary, sage, dill, and oregano make excellent garnishes and provide a lovely scent to your cheeseboard.
3. Luxury Candles
Speaking of scents… If you’re wondering how to make a cheeseboard awaken the appetite even more, luxury candles are a must-have. Sure, you could go with unscented candles to provide a soft light. However, there are ways to tastefully incorporated a scented candle or two.
- Don’t light them: If you’re worried about distorting the taste of your cheese, scented luxury candles have a cold throw (the aroma they give off when not lit) that isn’t as overpowering as a lit candle. Go for one with a light cold throw.
- Placing the candles: If you choose to light your scented candle, place it farther away from your cheeseboard—perhaps at the entryway to your space—and don’t overdo it. One or two quality candles should be enough to infuse the room with a welcoming fragrance bouquet.
- Aroma: Select candles without an overpowering scent and that go well with food. I love Flamingo Estates’ Climbing Tuscan Rosemary. With the aroma of rosemary, it sets the mood for an evening of great dining and new memories. Although it has a strong throw that fills the room, it doesn’t overwhelm the palette or affect the taste of food. Plus, its beautiful, green-colored vessel is easy to style and can be reused for so many things after you finish burning it. I love a good upcycle!
How to Make a Cheeseboard: Entice the Senses
There’s no doubt that a pretty cheeseboard does a great job of awakening the appetite. But I believe that process begins way before your guests (it’s okay if it’s just your dog and your partner, btw) get a visual of what’s to come. With a few well-placed, well-chosen luxury candles and beautiful ingredients to fill your cheeseboard, the mood will be set for a delightful evening ahead.
