Charcuterie 101: What cheeses should I put on my board?
Welcome to the Board Tour— a blog where we explore the world of charcuterie and share some of our favorite artisanal cheeses, tips, and tricks. Charcuterie 101 is our 5-part series focused on the building blocks behind the craft. From choosing your cheeses to incorporating the elements of design, we’ll cover everything you need to know about creating your own board.
by: Lauren Barker | owner/cheese artist
The cheeses you feature on your board are the foundation that you will build the rest of your ingredients around. Incorporating a variety of cheese textures and flavors will bring balance to your arrangement and provide an array of opportunities for fun flavor pairings. Check out Cheese Garden’s cheese selection process to help curate your next charcuterie shopping list.
One crowd favorite cheese
I like to make sure there’s always at least one crowd favorite cheese to ease guests into the charcuterie experience. Think cheeses like:
Cheddar
Gouda
Swiss
Parmesan
Anything that’s a common household name!
Including a familiar cheese or two in your arrangement can make your board a lot less intimidating for guests who might not yet be acquainted with the artisanal cheese scene. A personal favorite of mine is Ohio creamery Bunker Hill’s Lacey Baby Swiss.
Fun fact: Swiss cheese was actually invented in Ohio by Swiss immigrants in 1833. The original version it was modeled after is known as Emmentaler.
One soft cheese
Add some textural variety to your board by featuring at least one soft cheese. These cheeses can range from tangy and refreshing to creamy and rich, so there’s no shortage of flavors to pair with.
A brie wheel can act as an eye-catching centerpiece, or flavored goat cheese logs can serve as a fun color pop. In the colder months, I personally love styling garlic herb Boursin into a pinecone using sliced almonds.
(Check out Cheese Garden’s pinecone styling tutorial!)
Fun fact: Boursin cheese was originally invented as a French take on American cream cheese, but it grew so popular that it started being sold internationally.
Boursin pinecones are perfect on a holiday board.
One fun cheese
Part of the fun of creating a charcuterie board is that it’s an opportunity to get adventurous with your flavor palette. Surprise your guests with at least one cheese they’ve probably never thought to try before.
I usually go for a cheese that’s a little more multidimensional both in color and flavor, such as a Wensleydale or a derby, or a cheese that’s a hybrid fusion of a few different cheeses and aging processes, like the Cypress Grove’s Humboldt Fog or any BellaVitano variety. Really any interesting cheese that’s been tempting your eye at the grocery store is the right cheese for this category.
Fun Fact: The creation of Humboldt Fog was the catalyst for the soft-ripened goat cheese scene in America.
The vegetable ash rind on the Humboldt Fog gives this cheese its distinct look.
The last slice
Curating a lineup of cheeses for a charcuterie board is all about balance and variety. I typically aim for 3-6 cheeses depending on the size of the board, but feel free to throw a few extra wedges on if they’re speaking to you.
The next time you take on the artisanal cheese section of your local grocery store, remember to:
Complement your wildcard cheeses with familiar ones
Add a little textural range with some soft cheeses
Most of all, have fun with it—that’s what the creative process is all about!