Cheese Board Ideas: From Asiago to Wensleydale

Last Friday, we posted about how easy it is to create savory tarts for an appetizer that's sure to impress your guests. Another simple way to entertain well is to put some thought into assembling a cheese board. While they'll take more effort than cubing a block of cheddar and tearing open a sleeve of crackers, cheese board ideas like these add elegance to any occasion.

If you want your guests to keep talking about your delicious array of appetizers long after the party's over, keep reading!

Cheese Board Ideas: First, You Need Cheese

It's a cheese board, right? Of course you need cheese. But now's not the time to go to the grocery store and choose blindly. You'll want to find a specialty cheese shop, with a cheesemonger who knows their way from Asiago to Wensleydale and everywhere in between.

Ideally, a cheesemonger can help you put together an assortment of tastes and textures. Consider cheeses made from goat's milk and sheep's milk as well as cow's milk. A blue cheese is always appropriate, but ask for low-intensity recommendations.

High quality cheese isn't cheap. Whole Foods Market advises serving two ounces of cheese per guest. It's better to serve two or three excellent cheeses than a dozen mediocre cheeses.

You can also ask guests to bring a piece of their favorite cheese to share. We love this idea, because when people inevitably ask, "What can I bring?" you'll have a simple answer. Plus they don't have to do anything more than show up with a piece of wrapped cheese for you to add to your cheese board.

Cheese Board Ideas: Complement Your Cheese

While cheese is definitely key to a thoughtful cheese board, so are all the accompaniments. Go beyond baguettes and crackers with some creative ideas we found for what to put on a cheese board.

Champagne Grapes: These small, sweet grapes are properly called Corinth grapes, and they're not actually used to make champagne. Look for them at specialty grocery stores. They're a fun addition to a cheese board and complement many cheeses well.

Honeycomb: Another sweet food that goes perfectly with cheese is honey. Try serving small pieces of honeycomb, especially with soft cheeses like Brie and burrata. You may find honeycomb at specialty grocery stores, or you can order it online.

Marcona Almonds: These almonds have gained popularity over the past few years. You can even find them at Costco now. They're sautéed in oil and sprinkled with salt, and we found multiple sources that insist Marcona almonds belong on a cheese board.