Entertaining friends and family is a wonderful way to while away the time.
If you’re hosting Saturday sundowners we’ve found a fast and failsafe recipe to ensure you always have something on hand to serve your guests – a stunning cheese board.
How to make a cheeseboard
1. Cheese is the heart and soul of the platter.
Select at least two types of your favourite cheese, aiming for a mix of textures and tastes:
- Hard cheese: Parmesan, Cheddar, Pecorino.
- Semi-hard cheese: Gruyere, Gouda, Provolone, Swiss.
- Semi-soft cheese: Fontina, Gorgonzola, Blue.
- Soft cheese: Burrata Mozzarella, Brie, Feta
2. Next, add seasonal fruits for a colourful crunch.
Again, aim for a minimum of two different types of fruits, perhaps one sweet-flavoured and one tangy:
- Grapes, apples, pears, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, plums, figs, olives.
- Slice and toss in some lemon juice to keep from browning.
3. Then add an assortment of bread and crackers to hold your cheese and fruit.
Select at least two types of bread and/or crackers.
- Bread: Crostini, baguette, croutons, breadsticks.
- Crackers: Water crackers, sesame, cheese, grain, whole wheat, pretzels.
4. Last but not least, add pizazz with a variety of tasty accompaniments to fill the gaps on your board.
Select at least three accompaniments.
- Nuts: Almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pistachios.
- Spreads: preserves, chutney, tapenade, honey.
- Chocolate: Plain chocolate bars (chopped), chocolate covered nuts.
- Dried Fruit: Apricots, figs, dates, sultanas, cranberries, crystallized ginger.
- Dips: Pesto, hummus, guacamole, salsa.
- Charcuterie: Smoked meats, cured meats, roasted meats.
- Greens (for garnish): Rosemary, thyme, oregano.
5. Enjoy!
