Tips provided by: Patty Floersheimer of goat.sheep.cow.
Perfect for the holidays or everyday entertaining, cheese + charcuterie boards are a beautiful, versatile, and delicious addition to any gathering. Between the different types of cheeses and the incorporation of sweet + savory snacks, meats, and crackers, a well-balanced board has something for everyone. Not only are they beautiful to look at and delicious to eat, they also can be fun to put together!
Choosing your board Start with a flat, interesting board or slate as a backdrop. goat.sheep.cow. uses marble flooring tiles that are washed clean, and they add sticky feet to keep the tables safe.
Building your base The optimum cheese-lovers platter for a small group consists of four cheeses: soft, semi-soft, hard, and blue. It’s best to mix the animals up as you go; for example, if you pick a soft goat cheese, the semi + hard cheeses should be cow or sheep. The addition of a blue should depend on your group’s preferences; big + moldy like roquefort or sweeter + milder like gorgonzola dolce.
Incorporating some color Try to get a color variety going when selecting cheeses so that everything doesn’t look so beige! Washed rinds are pinkish-orange (and a little stinky!) and beautiful on a plate. Or you can select a pretty little jewel like o’banon, a goat milk cheese wrapped in bourbon-soaked chestnut leaves. If you gently open the leaves, the presentation is perfect.
Incorporating the charcuterie If you’re including charcuterie, as most are pork-based, switch up the texture by selecting a solid muscle like speck or prosciutto de parma, a salami, and a pâté or mousse truffée.
Balancing the board Pickled veggies, dried + fresh fruits, nuts, and honeycomb all help balance the salty richness of meats + cheeses. And don’t feel like you have to choose just one! Patty often incorporates them all. Don’t forget crackers or a fresh baguette cut into thin slices.
Adding the finishing touches For the perfect finishing touches, Patty recommends topping the board with sprigs of fresh herbs like rosemary, oregano, or thyme.