Every charcuterie board wants to be the life of the party. It wants to be the magnet that draws people together and the thing that, weeks later, guests can't stop talking about: "Remember that incredible charcuterie board…?"
You can help a charcuterie board achieve its dream by simply choosing great cheese. Cheese, after all, is the star of every charcuterie board, the thing that unlocks the door to a world of extraordinary flavor. When you choose the best cheeses for your charcuterie board, you'll give your guests an amazing taste and texture experience – and help your charcuterie board live its best life.
Here in Wisconsin, it's easy to choose the best cheeses for a charcuterie board because Wisconsin cheesemakers simply make the tastiest, highest-quality cheese in the universe. We'd like to introduce you to a few of these beauties – just take a spin through our website. Or read on for our recommendations for the best cheeses to help charcuterie boards everywhere reach for the stars.
An amazing charcuterie board offers guests a wide range of tastes and texture combinations. For cheese, that means choosing 4 to 6 varieties that offer a nice variety for the palate.
Here's some of the best cheese for charcuterie boards:
For quantities, you'll want to buy about 2 ounces of cheese per person, or 5 ounces per person if the charcuterie cheese board is meant to be the entire meal. Be sure to use knives for each cheese that must be cut to avoid mingling the flavors. And because the flavors of cheese are best appreciated at room temperature, take the cheese from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.
There are no requirements for a meat and cheese board – that's part of the fun and the art of creating a beautiful charcuterie arrangement. When it comes to selecting the best cheeses for your charcuterie board, pick cheeses that you love and that offer a range of flavors and textures. Typically this will include soft and semi-soft cheeses as well as semi-firm and hard cheeses, along with a sample of blue cheese and perhaps some specialty cheeses like herbed havarti or smoked gouda.
To create a visually appealing spread, start with an item in the middle that has some height. For example, you might fill a large wineglass with grapes or a ceramic bowl with breadsticks. Next, add your cheeses and small dishes of spreads, vegetables, and nuts to the board, spreading them out evenly around the centerpiece. Place the charcuterie meat in slices, loose bunches, or layers in and around the cheese. Then fill in all the empty spaces with small snacks like almonds, sliced fruit, pickles, crackers, and bread.
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Everybody knows Wisconsin makes cheese. But most folks are surprised to learn just how good Wisconsin cheese can be. For example, did you know that we've won more awards for our cheese than any other state or country in the world? Or that we produce more than 600 varieties and styles of cheese – more than any other place on the planet? Nearly half the nation's specialty artisan cheese is made right here in Wisconsin, and we're home to one of only two master cheesemaker programs in the world.
So, next time you're shopping for the best cheeses for charcuterie boards or cheese trays, do yourself a favor and make sure you're bringing home Wisconsin cheese. Then be sure to enjoy the look of surprise and amazement every time a guest takes a bite of one of Wisconsin's finest.
Craving award-winning aged cheddar, pining for parmesan, or searching for a new cheese to try? The world’s best cheese is just a click away! Explore our directory of Wisconsin cheesemakers and retailers who offer online cheese shopping and get cheese shipped right to your door. What are you waiting for?
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