Cheese Boards

I have possessed an affinity towards cheese and crackers for a long time. One of my favorite snacks as a kid was Cracker Barrel extra sharp cheddar and Ritz crackers. Carr’s water crackers with cracked pepper spread with cream cheese was also a go-to.  Auntie C always had port wine cheese spread, which is delicious on most anything (especially Snyder’s hard pretzels).

I don’t know at what point my taste in cheese went beyond the kind that has manufacturer’s coupons and is often the subject of a 2 for $3 sale.  My Dad loves some stinky cheese, and there was often the odd piece left on a cutting board post late night-snack or pre-leaving for a restaurant on a Saturday. At some point I discovered the wonders of brie, goat cheese, Port Salut, and Taleggio, and seeded whole wheat flat breads, rye crisp breads, and brioche toasts became the preferred mode of cheese transport to mouth.

Our generation is lucky that good cheese is so readily available. Walk into any local grocery store and there is bound to be a “gourmet cheese” case, and even the corner store (albeit in my yuppy neighborhood) carries DiBruno. Fine foods hubs like Eataly and Dibruno turn shopping for cheese into a Disney-like experience, rich with samples and animated employees eager to turn you into a $24.99/lb fromage addict. 

I love putting together cheese boards, both large and small. When I host, if I am cooking the main and the dessert, I tend to pick one kind of cheese and put it out with some crackers and prepare crudités.    If I am a guest, however, and elect to bring a cheese board, despite my anxiety about making sure I appear on time for appetizers to be set out, I am thrilled with the prospect of heading to the cheese case and putting something together.

A really good cheese board can be put together for $15 - $20. A really good cheese board can also be put together for $40-$50. I tend to hover around $30, although lately I’ve started to feel that is sometimes slightly too much to spend and that I should put more of an effort into pulling that number down to the $20 range. 

To me, a good cheese board has at least 3 kind of cheese, a hard cheese (ie. cheddar), a semi-soft/semi-hard cheese (gouda or havarti), and a soft (ie brie). There are also at least two kind of crackers.  I always have one plain, light cracker, like a water cracker, then maybe something slightly jazzier, like a mini-toast or something seeded.  I also tend to add “something else”, like olives, charcuterie, a fruit spread, or nuts.

Here is a more extensive list of cheeses, by firmness:

Soft – Brie, Camembert, Saint Andre, La Tur, Delice de Bourgogne, Boursin, D’Affinois

• My favorites: La Tur ($11-$13 each), D’Affinois ($7-$9 per decent hunk)
• On a budget? Brie – Trader Joe’s Unripened Semi-Soft is $2.99 this month for a 4 oz piece, President Brie is always ~$4 at Target                 

Semi-soft or Semi-hard – Havarti, Goat Cheese, Fontina, Stilton, Taleggio, Mozzarella, Port Salut, Armenian string cheese, Morbier, Cotswold

• My favorites: Armenian string cheese ($6 each), Drunken Goat ($7-$9 per decent hunk), Costwold ($4-$6 per decent hunk)
• On a budget? Goat Cheese at TJ’s $2.50 for 4 oz, or $4.50 for 8 oz, Dill Havarti ~$3-$4 piece at Target

Hard – Cheddar, Asiago, Edam, Colby, Feta, Provolone, Gruyere, Manchego, Comte

• My Favorites- Feta ($7-$8 for the big piece of good quality), Manchego ($7-$8 per decent hunk)
• On a budget? CHEDDAR Whole Foods Foods Seaside is $5 for a big hunk and pretty much everyone likes cheddar, Cabot is in most grocery stores and is about $3 a block

Remember, a lot of things can go on a cheese board besides cheese and crackers!

• Fruit spread - anything from the same cherry preserves you spread on your toast, to a homemade compote can add color and variety. 
• Fresh fruit - grapes are probably most common, but why not some fresh cherries in season, or slices of crispy apple, or pear?
• Mixed Nuts - just a small bowl will do. A lot of cheeses have a "nutty" flavor, and the nuts will only enhance that between bites.
• Olives - sort of a no brainer. don't forget to put a little bowl out for pits.
• Pate/Cornichons/Mustard - quite the trifecta of deliciousness. 
• Charcuterie - slice up some chorizo medallions, or even just tear up some pieces of a good deli ham or salami.

Also important --- know your audience. If your guests aren't really into strong flavors, save the stinky stuff for later, and stick with safe bets like cheddar, mozzarella, and goat cheese.  If your guests are really into food, maybe treat them to something special, like La Tur, or a higher end goat cheese with dalmatia fig spread a unique cracker. Having a huge meal? Maybe only put one kind of cheese out, and focus on lighter apps like crudite and dip, or just small bowls of mixed nuts and olives.

Finally, there really are no rules. My sister and and brother in law served a platter of pate, cornichons, mustard and a special spreadable Latvian cheese for their friends before an afternoon of watching football, Budweiser, chili, and wings.  I like putting together a very french cheese platter even when I'm serving a very Italian meal. It's up to you, your budget, and who you are with. 

If you are at a grocery store with someone behind the cheese counter, don't be afraid to ask for a substitute within you budget. There is a brie and cheddar at every price point, and if you like something that is a little beyond your wallet, figure out what the next best thing is--- the best way to do this is to ask. Never hesitate to ask for a sample, either! If there is a cheese on sale that sounds interesting but you have never tried it, never a better time to try it than before you plunk down $10 for a medium size piece.

I understand B Franklin said beer is proof God loves us, but I am pretty sure cheese is in the evidence bag as well.