Cheeseboards are often the finale of a fabulous dinner party with luxury crackers, chutneys and nibbles, and they're a staple at Christmastime when everyone's feeling a bit too relaxed to whip up a full meal!
Having a selection of gourmet artisan cheese that appeals to everyone is always an easy win this Christmas, and our indulgent range of cheeses, chutneys, crackers and nuts is here to help.
How to Build the Perfect Cheeseboard
To create a well-balanced cheeseboard with differing, complementary flavours that everyone can enjoy, follow these few simple rules. Choose from pasteurised and unpasteurised cow’s milk and goats milk cheeses for the full range of flavours.
Hard Cheese
Start your cheeseboard with one or two hard cheeses. The versatile nature and popularity of hard cheese means it is an absolute must on any cheeseboard – and the best place to start when creating your own. Think Gouda, Cheddar, Red Leicester etc.
You can't go wrong with one or two truckles from the Isle of Arran Cheese Shop. We recommend the Kilbride Medium Mature Cheddar and the Cheddar with Chilli for something a little different!
For extra variety, be sure to include a smoked cheese such as the Connage Smoked Dunlop or the Arran Oak Smoked.
Soft Cheese
Ranging from melt-in-your-mouth buttery to fresh and bright flavours, the ever-popular Bries and Camemberts are cheeseboard staples and yes, you CAN eat the rinds or pop it in your stockpot or soup.
The deliciously smooth, creamy and award-winning Connage Organic Clava Brie is an absolute must on any cheeseboard.
Blue Cheese
Though not to everyone's taste, a deliciously rich creamy blue cheese is an excellent addition to a cheeseboard. From creamy, young light blues to full-fledged rich, ripe Stilton, not all blues are strong.
We love the Strathdon Blue from Tain, Rosshire. It's delicious, rich and creamy with subtle peppery notes and a slightly steely taste to finish. Or why not try the award-winning Arran Blue Cheese? This young, mild and creamy cheese is similar in style to the French Beu d'Auvergne and won 'Best Scottish Cheese' at the 'World Cheese Awards' two years running!
Pair your blue cheese with sweeter chutneys or jellies such as our Fig Fruit Jelly and cold ham or Proscuitto to make it really sing!
Goat’s Cheese
Soft and creamy with a pleasant tart flavour, Goat's Cheeses range from fresh citrussy to stronger, earthy tastes.
Bonnet Goat's Cheese from Ayrshire is new to our cheese fridge, but it's already a firm favourite! This hard-pressed goat's cheese is made at Dunlop Dairy and matured for 6-10 months. This cheese boasts a beautifully smooth and creamy texture, with a delightful nutty flavour and delicate sweetness that will tantalise your taste buds and leave you craving more.
How to Serve Your Cheese
Cheese comes in all shapes and sizes—how do you cut it to ensure everyone has an equal share of both the inside and the rind?
Round Cheese
Cut into equal wedges by first slicing across the middle and then working around the circumference of the cheese - like a cake.
Log Cheese
Slice horizontally to create several small rounds.
Soft Triangular Cheese
Ideally, everyone should get a piece of the nice, gooey ‘nose’ from a wedge of Brie. Cut off the tip of a broad wedge then cut long slices from the remainder.
Hard Rind Cheese
Avoid long, thin slices. Make your first cuts parallel to the ‘back’ of the cheese until you reach the last third, then change direction to cut the back edge at right angles.
Wedge of Blue Cheese
Cut equal slices at right angles to the back of the cheese.
Cheese Care
Keep your cheese in the original wax paper or greaseproof paper, as it allows the cheese to breathe and avoids the build-up of excess moisture.
Most cheeses prefer to be kept between 8C and 15C - a cool larder or the salad drawer of the fridge is ideal. Try not to store them on the door, as this is generally the coldest part of your fridge.
Try not to store cheese with strong smelling foods. Always bring the cheese to room temperature before serving.
If stored correctly, you can expect the cheese to last for up to 14 days.
Perfect Accompaniments
Enjoy your curated cheese selection with traditional Scottish oatcakes, savoury cheese crackers and crunchy biscuits. Serve with spicy and exciting relishes or fruity chutneys.
Alternatively, a slice of Asher's whisky fruit cake with your cheese is a wonderful pairing at any time of the day.
For more information and fun facts, check out ‘The Philosophy of Cheese’ by Patrick McGuigan, a professional cheese taster and judge.
