Armed with the right information, you can create amazing wine and cheese pairings on your own. Let’s take a look at some classic wine and cheese pairings and why they work, so that the next time you’re on a wine and cheese getting mission, you’ll have no doubt what to choose!
1. Pick The Base For Your Cheese Board
You really don’t need a specialty base or one of those fancy slates for your cheeseboard. Look around the house and you’ll definitely find something. Old cutting boards, pizza boards, and even old baking sheets can all make great bases for cheese boards. To make serving easier, feel free to use around old pizza board that has a handle!
2. Pick Your Cheese And Arrange Them
While arranging the cheeses, it’s best to arrange them in a way that there’s ample space between them. This helps so that people can rotate the platter to pick what they want rather than struggling to cut cheese and mixing it with another one. Combine three kinds of cheese – soft and mild(brie, camembert, fresh mozzarella, burrata or even cream cheese), crumbly stinky cheese (Danish blue, gorgonzola, etc.), and a hard, full-bodied cheese(cheddar, gouda, edam, etc.
3. Add Cold Cuts And Nuts
Charcuterie or cold cuts can also get really expensive when putting together a cheeseboard. We like sticking with only one variety and arranging it in two different parts of the board to give the impression that there are two options. Nuts can really help fill up the spaces, and after their fill of cheese, crackers, and salami, your guests will love snacking on the nuts and shelling the pistachios. It’s one of those activities that’s lazy and fun. There is no right or wrong – just rummage through your pantry, and take out any kind of nut you might have – salted, plain – everything goes well with wine!
4. Add Salty Nibbes
At this point, your board looks about halfway full. It’s time to go through your fridge and see what may be hiding there. Most people have unfinished jars of olives, pickles, stuffed peppers of some kind, etc. Just dump these in small, pretty looking bowls and arrange them on the cheeseboard. They don’t need to be the best quality but these salty nibbles keep people snacking and add to the variety. Also, this will make your board look fuller and more colourful!
5. Add Sweet Things And Fruits
Always reach out for the fruits! Not only are they are super refreshing, but your guests are also going to welcome the sweetness and balance. To keep things affordable, pick fruits that are already in the season so that you get them cheap instead of imported, exotic fruits which can become heavy on your pocket for a small quantity. Two different varieties of grapes also add more color to the board. Cut them in halves or keep them whole, the choice is yours.
6. Choose Your Wine To Go With The Cheese
We picked the cheeses first and then picked the wines to go with them. It’s always best to provide options for both red wine and white wine to your guests. With a little research, you can also recommend which wine goes with what. Voila! We hope these tips on pairing wine and cheese help you host your next party!
Are you a cheese fan? Check out A Cheesy Party!