4 Tips for the Best Cheese Board

Charcuterie or cheese boards have become a popular appetizer or sometimes a full meal when entertaining! Even if you’re home watching a movie, pulling together a delicious cheese board elevates the evening. With a cheese board or serving platter always on hand, and a few items stocked in your fridge, you’ll be ready to host a party at any moment.

Start with a Great Board

When you’re serving appetizers, you need a food-safe platter that doesn’t transfer any flavors. Slate cheese boards work well because they’re easy to clean and non-porous. You can even write on them with soapstone chalk to label your cheeses and jams!

You don’t want to risk someone losing an appetite because they filled up on cheese, though! With a smaller platter, you can still have a delicious-looking display without overfilling your guests.

Choosing the Ingredients

You want a good selection of textures and flavors for everyone. Here’s a checklist for a balanced cheeseboard:

1. Two cheese options: at least one hard and one soft
2. Cured meats such as prosciutto or salami
3. Nuts: almonds, pistachios, or cashews are always favorites
4. Fruit: dried apricots, grapes, strawberries…

Still have some room on the board? Mix in some crostini or crackers, then add small bowls for jams, hummus, or even mustard.

Before Serving

Don’t slice every piece of cheese, fruit, or bread before putting it on the board. Get it started, then leave enough utensils for guests to slice what they want. This keeps everything fresher and reduces waste when you’re cleaning up afterwards.

Final Touches

You want the cheeseboard to look full and bright, so now you just need to fill in any empty spaces. Add sprigs of herbs, like rosemary or thyme, as a decoration that also adds fragrance. You can also include some fresh flowers for color and a feeling of spring, but make sure they’re edible like pansies, chamomile, or marigolds.

Invite Your Friends!

As we start opening up our decks and patios for the summer, start inviting your friends over and serve a delicious cheese board! At Soapstone Products, carry high-quality, handmade slate cheese boards to make it easy for you to start hosting.