Cheese boards have been quite the craze recently, but I think they’re a classic addition to any party. Here are some of my tips and tricks for making a delicious (and beautiful!) cheese board.

1. Buy soft and hard cheeses
Make sure to get a selection of soft and hard cheeses so that the board has variation. Some of my favorites include: Saint Andre, Toscana Black Pepper, Mt Tam, Aged Gouda, Port Salut, Goat Cheese with Honey, and Humbolt Fog.

2. Cut as much as you can
One of the great things about a cheese board is that it’s easy to grab a bite size piece quickly. Try to cut the cheeses into pieces as much as possible so that this is doable. You will need to keep some of the soft cheeses as is (a log of goat cheese, for example).

3. Color, color, color!
I’m normally not into much color, but this is essential when it comes to a beautiful cheese board. Depending on the time of year, I like to add pomegranates, whole oranges with leaves, grapes, figs, dried orange slices, strawberries, the list goes on…

4. Mix in fruits, nuts and olives
This one goes without saying! Try to mix in delicious fruits to both pair with your cheeses and to eat on their own. I often will slice up a pear or a green apple, or cut figs in half so that guests can create their own bites with different cheeses. Don’t forget to have small piles or containers of nuts (I love marcona almonds) and olives.

5. Add some toppings
This one isn’t a necessity, but it’s nice to have some small containers of a relish, jam, or honey to spread onto your bite of choice.

6. Keep the bread on the side
You’ll see in my photo that I don’t have a ton of crackers shown. This is because it would have taken too much room on the board! Just don’t forget to not skimp on various crackers and sliced bread so that there are a lot of options for your guests.

Cheers! xx