Crafting a Remarkable Cheese Board

There was a time when a cheese plate was reserved for special occasions or to entertain. While a board of fine provisions is great for birthdays and gatherings of all kinds, it’s just as special on a Monday night when 6:00 rolls around and you haven’t thought about dinner at all. But what goes into preparing a cheese board? How do you know what to serve? How much cheese and charcuterie do you really need? We’ve put a lot of thought into this, and what follows is the Amsterdam’s definitive guide for cheese enjoyment.

How much cheese/charcuterie is the right amount?

I’ve lived by the rule that you should have one type of cheese per person and about an ounce of each cheese per person. Having 5 people over? Try to find 4-5 pieces of cheese that are around 5 oz each. Generally speaking, I tend to buy a little less of the funkier cheeses (Blue cheeses, Taleggio, etc…) and a bit more of the crowd friendly cheeses (Brie, Cheddar, you get the idea). The rule tends to be the same for charcuterie, but in my experience, you can never have too much prosciutto on a plate.

There’s too much cheese to choose from. How do I know what to pick?

There’s more fine cheese on the market in America than ever before, which can be overwhelming. I have a few tips and tricks to have you feeling more confident in the cheese department.

Generally speaking, you want to have a variety of cheese types represented on your board. Pick a hard cheese, a semi-hard cheese, and a soft, spready cheese to cover all your bases So let’s say you wanted to pick 3 different cheeses. If you’re shopping with us here at the Amsterdam, I would recommend Jasper Hill Alpha Tolman for your hard cheese, Beemster Gouda for your semi-hard, and (my favorite) our Old Chatham Camembert Square for the soft and creamy selection. 

This should cover all the bases for types of cheese to pick, but I will always suggest picking cheeses that are local. In the Hudson Valley we are spoiled for choice by all of the incredible dairy farms around us. We’ve already mentioned my favorites, Jasper Hill and Old Chatham Creamery, so do a little research and find some lovable cheese mongers in your own backyard!

But what about all of the other stuff that fills up the board? 

The accoutrement on your cheese board may be equally as important as the cheese itself. You don’t want to serve fine cheeses with some stale saltines and apple slices, do you? Of course not. 

One thing is for certain, you cannot go wrong with a hot and toasty baguette. We bake them up fresh here every day at the Amsterdam, and when I package them up for sale, it’s hard not to fall in love. We’ve also got a wide variety of crackers and chips (that’s right, chips can go on a cheese board) to fill up your platter. My current favorites are Toast for Cheese, a thin and crispy bread cracker baked with nuts and dried fruits. These crackers are as tasty as they are gorgeous.

As far as other partners for your cheese, there are really no rules. I love pickles, so my board would feature plenty of cornichons, capers, pickled beets, etc… If you tend to eat more on the fresh side, there are many cheeses that pair beautifully with fresh fruits, Camembert and raspberries immediately come to mind. Spiced or candied nuts are a great choice as well, adding a savory crunch. Mustard, jam, and honey are also must haves on your board, but the varieties of each are up to you. Which brings us to my final piece of advice.

Stick to the tips and tricks we’ve laid out here and you’ll be set. Otherwise, just pick items that speak to you. You like hummus? Toast up some fresh pita and call it a mezzo board. Vegan or vegetarian? There are some really incredible plant based cheese and charcuterie options out there (Like our very own fig salami!). At the risk of sounding, dare I say, cheesy, the world really is your cheese board.

That’s enough talk. Now, mangia mangia.