How to create the ultimate festive cheeseboard
Christmas dinner might be the main event, but we all know it’s not really Christmas without the cheese. To help you host the tastiest holiday party, we’ve put together a quick guide to making the ultimate cheeseboard.
What are the best cheeses for a cheeseboard?
Variety is the spice of life – and the key to a great cheeseboard. You’ll want 3-5 different cheeses in a range of textures, with a mix of reliable classics and interesting flavours.
1. Strong and sharp
You can’t go wrong with a good strong cheddar cheese. It’s popular, easy to get hold of, and goes well with almost everything.
Our favourite is Black Bob from the Cheshire Cheese Company: a crowd-pleasing extra mature cheddar that combines strong flavour with a deliciously creamy texture.
2. Soft and creamy
Brie and camembert are classic choices around Christmastime and are always popular with guests. Or you could go super mild with a dollop of mascarpone or ricotta. If you are serving a soft cheese, we recommend putting it in a small bowl to minimise mess.
3. Something festive
A Christmas cheeseboard is an opportunity to try flavours you might not find at other times of the year. Picking a cranberry cheddar or even just serving your favourite cheese with a Christmassy chutney can be a great way to add some festive flair.
4. A wild card
Why not try something different this holiday season? The Cheshire Cheese Company offer a selection of deliciously unique flavours, including spicy Jamaican Jerk and aromatic Masala cheddar. You might just find a new favourite!
Or, instead of picking your own individual cheeses, let us handle the tricky part. As part of our Christmas cheeseboard range, you can get a well-balanced selection of cheeses in one handy box. Choose from six bundles, including:
- Traditional Cheese 4-truckle bundle
- Boozy Cheese 4-truckle bundle
- Festive Favourites 4-truckle bundle
- The Favourites Trio
- The Festive Trio
- The World Trio
Chutney, pickle, or both?
Now you’ve got your cheeses, it’s time to choose what you’re pairing them with. Offering a mix of sweeter chutneys and savoury pickles gives your guests something they’ll all love, no matter their tastebuds.
Explore Mrs Darlington’s selection of traditional pickles, as well as perfectly paired chutneys from the Cheshire Cheese Company, in our deli range.
Our top choice is the Christmas Buffet Condiment Trio from Mrs Darlington’s, which includes traditional piccalilli and Ploughman’s Pickle, as well as a jar of balsamic vinegar pickled onions, to add a real kick to any festive meal.
Go crackers
To add even more of a twist to your cheeseboard combinations, look out for crackers with added flavour or seasonings.
The Cheshire Cheese Company have cooked up three artisan crackers specifically made to go with some of their most popular cheeses: Black Bob, Caramelised Onion, and Old Hag Ale and Mustard cheddar. Shop the bundle with all three crackers in our Christmas range.
