How To Assemble a Fancy Cheese Board

Hey! Long time no post! Sorry I've been lagging lately, work has been taking a toll on my social life (and everything else that's fun for that matter) but I have decided to focus more on what makes me happy and less on the negative and what's more positive than a plate full of cheese, wine, and chocolate?


Nothing.

When we were in Waco, we stopped my this little community that had a cheese shop and decided to pick up some of their award winning Van Sormon cheese which is similar to a mild Swiss and was aged with cinnamon, vanilla, and sorghum. Since I have failed to fulfill my desire to make a fancy cheese board I thought this little locally produced wedge presented me with the perfect opportunity.

Look at that cheese-making man...

When constructing such a fine platter of epic culinary proportions here are some things to keep in mind:

-Try to switch it up with flavors and textures. For example, I choose a soft Brie with a hard mild cheese.
-Once you choose your cheese think about your other pairings - I prefer sweet & salty like apples + nuts or honey + sausage
-Keep in mind, a serving of cheese is around 4oz.
-Be creative with the base - you can use fruit such as apple slices, crackers, or pumpernickel squares
-Try providing a variety of beverages such as red/white wines and dark beers - people don't often associate beer with chocolate but a nice dark stout with a bit of dark chocolate is pretty spectacular!

Here's what we had in our spread:
-Sweet onion jam (onions + sugar + balsamic vinegar caramelized)
-Fresh grapes and apples
-Ritter dark & milk chocolate with almonds
-Honey
-Brie
-Van Sormon
-Spicy sausage
-Wheat crackers
-Pumpernickel squares
-Riesling
-Strawberry wine (GA produced)

As far as which wines are concerned - just go with what you like. Typically wines like Riesling, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon are served with cheese plates but it's not like the Wine Police are gonna come to your house and tell you you're using the wrong wine so I would just go with your faves.

If you're really skilled in the seemingly impossible art of chalkboard writing you can even make a fun display for a party using chalkboard contact paper for a table runner and label all the different goodies (I have secretly always wanted to do this but alas, I don't really have a bunch of said friends to invite over just yet)

Whatever you do, just have fun! I really enjoyed investing in some quality cheeses and feeling fancy for an afternoon.