This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see our privacy policy.
Whether you invite friends for appetizers, want to create an easy pre-dinner nibble or decide to make a meal out of one of these fabulous arrays of deliciousness, here are some tips on how to create a great cheeseboard.
My daughter, Cait has a wonderful talent for putting together a fabulous cheese board. Several weeks ago I asked her to bring an appetizer for a family get-together at our home. After arriving with a bag of goodies, I watched her, quickly and effortlessly, throw together the most gorgeous array of cheese, crackers, fruit, nuts, whipped, honey jam, etc. Within minutes it was ready to be enjoyed, as everyone gathered around the delicious appetizer tray.
I'd seen Cait make wonderful cheese boards many times before but it really struck me this time; what an easy, elegant, minimal-effort entertaining option this is. When I asked if she would mind sharing her cheeseboard tips on the blog, she readily agreed. I'll sign off and introduce you to Cait, wife to Josh, mom to Annie, Elle, Lilly and Luke (oops, almost forgot Crockett!), RN (in another life, before kids), Pilates instructor and best daughter a mom could have!
Tips from Cait on "how to create a great cheeseboard"
This is kind of embarrassing, so shhh... but if I'm honest I'd eat from a cheeseboard for dinner instead of actually HAVING dinner...anywhere!
It all started when we moved to England 10 years ago. Not long after having arrived, we were kindly invited to 'tea' by some new-found friends. Now, for the American readers, if I invited you to 'tea' you'd think I was inviting you to come to drink tea - right?
We totally missed the boat with that assumption.'Tea' in England has multiple meanings, but what our sweet friends meant was a unique and quite useful invitation that meant to get together late afternoon, feed the children dinner while the adults ate appetizers and often had drinks.
We left that day so pleasantly surprised at how the whole thing went, we were able to get together with another family, our little ones were fed and the adults enjoyed a happy hour while the children played...it was wonderful!
So, we adopted the practice ourselves and now 10 years on and back in the States we still invite our friends over for tea. It took a few reps for them to catch on, but now they are all big fans of 'tea' in the British sense of the word as well!
What to include for a great cheeseboard
But, I digress... back to the cheeseboard situation. One of the many things I learned whilst in London is the joy of a well put together cheeseboard - so, quite often that's what I serve whilst hosting tea. I typically aim to include the following:
- a soft goat's cheese
- a blue cheese (Maytag blue or Roquefort are my favs)
- a nice sharp cheddar, sliced
- fruit- typically apple slices, grapes, cherries or blackberries if they're in season
- a chutney or fruit spread designed to be served with cheese (Here I used a fig jam from the Dalmatia region of Croatia, surprisingly it's easy to find at least on the east coast of the US and isn't terribly pricey...but it's SO good!)
- 2 types of crackers, one being water crackers
- fine celery sticks (which I forgot to bring when we were shooting this cheese board!)
I generally find my cheese at a typical grocery store but in the specialty cheese section or deli area (not the cheese aisle).
Optional cheeseboard items
- a Spanish cheese like manchego
- creamed honey or honeycomb
- thinly sliced meats
- quartered figs if they're soft and in season
Tips for plating a cheeseboard
When plating everything I try to make sure there are knives for each of the cheeses and space to cut the soft cheese- but otherwise I just pile it on the board. I think the haphazardness of it makes it even more enjoyable, as it makes the vibe more casual.
There are rarely leftovers, so I guess I'm not the only one in love with a great cheese board!
Serving ideas for a cheeseboard
As far as how to present your cheeseboard, the sky's the limit. Go with your favorite platter or wooden board, a slab of slate... Here are a few of our favorites:
Naturally Med Olive Wood Cutting Board/Cheese Board
Chloe and Cotton Large Round Pine Wood Bread Board
Slate Cheese Board and Knife Set, Stainless Steel Handles & Cutlery
Spreads, chutneys and jellies
A chutney, relish or pepper jam adds a delicious element to a cheese tray and is very well received. As mentioned above, one of our faves is Dalmatia Fig Spread but we also have our own homemade (super easy) Fig Jam as well as some wonderful jam and jelly recipes that are fabulous on a cheeseboard. Check them out:
Strawberry Habanero Pepper Jelly - it's sweet, spicy and oh-so-delicious!
This super simple 4-ingredient Italian Mint Pesto recipe is a delicious fresh condiment that can be served as an appetizer with cheese, used as a dipping sauce for bread, drizzled on chicken, salmon, shrimp, pork, and a zillion other things!
Easy Strawberry Jalapeño Jam - it's sweet, spicy and extraordinarily delicious! It's wonderful spooned over goat cheese, cream cheese and on appetizer trays. But don't stop there, read on for lots of other ways to use this wonderful condiment!
30-Minute Clementine Pepper Jelly - it's fabulous for appetizers, glazes and gifts. Oh, and it's also insanely delicious on warm biscuits with butter!
Sweet and spicy, this Pineapple Habanero Pepper Jelly is delicious on cheese trays and makes a wonderful grilling glaze.
Cranberry Sriracha Pepper Jelly - this stuff is crazy good! We love it spooned over cream cheese and served with crackers but it also makes a wonderful glaze for chicken, pork, salmon, etc.
Keep a stash of these Cranberry Clementine Conserves handy for a super easy and absolutely delicious appetizer. It's also fabulous for gift giving!
Mango Sriracha Chutney - this stuff is crazy good and so... versatile. It's fabulous for appetizers, as a sandwich spread, a base for pizza, a glaze for grilled chicken...
P.S. We're SUPER thrilled as Cait and her family, after living in Memphis for 3 years, London for 7 years and then Memphis again for 3 years have just recently (this month!) moved to Asheville, not too far from where we live. After all these years, it's amazing to have them so close! Not to mention of all the wonderful Cait-inspired cheese boards we will be enjoying...
Thought for the day:
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
Those who know your name trust in you,
for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.
Psalm 9:9-10
What we're listening to for inspiration:
If you enjoyed this post, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It's so helpful to other readers to hear other's results and ideas for variations.
Shop Our Café Loves
We’ve gathered our favorite kitchen tools, tableware, and entertaining treasures in one place, the Café Loves store. It’s a wonderful spot to find something special for yourself or the cooks and hosts you love!
YOU are my first resource for recipes, inspiration and fun! Everything I prepare from your selection is always EXCELLENT! Thank you! It's a blessing in so many ways.
Thanks so much, Mary! I really appreciate your kind and encouraging words 🥰
For a large gathering, my husband used the top of a wine barrel, since they are readily available in our area. He stabilized the back with cross pieces and just put lemon oil on the front where the lovely maker's brand shows. It was stunning, with fruits, cheeses, nuts and spreads.
Thank you for your ideas!
It sounds beautiful, Sue! Great idea!
Those who know your name trust in you.....do you know that God's name is Jehovah? Psalms 83:18 tells us so.
I'm so happy that I found your site. I love your recipes. I always know I'll not be disappointed when I try a new one.
Thank you very much for sharing.
Dear Sandia,
We have known our God's name for over 50 years. Blessed be to Jehovah. Be safe.
Thanks, Sandia 💕
I give thanks to Thee, living and eternal King (Jehovah) for you have mercifully restored my soul within me!
Yes, please! I would love and appreciate the free printables for the Pineapple Habenero Pepper Jelly!
Thanks!!😊
Sure, sending them now, Terri!
Great idea to gather for "tea". Liked the cheeseboard refresher and all your spread recipes.
Thanks, Nadine 🥰
Could you tell me where you got the marble circle? Thank you.
Hi Candice, I picked that one up at Williams Sonoma.
ooh, I am so excited to try making all the jams and jellies you have suggested. Thanks for the wonderful cheese board suggestions.
Thanks, Malavika! Have fun!
L.O.V.E. Cafe Sucre Farine web site! The recipes are incredible in every way; creative, unique in flavour combinations, no-hassle approach
to preparation. Can't say enough about the food fun I've enjoyed sharing with my Family and our Friends, not to mention the recipes I've shared ... and repeated.
Thanks so much, Bobbie! What a kind and encouraging comment!
Lovely board and great suggestions! I also love the little wood serving dishes for the nuts and jams. Any idea where you purchased those?
Hi Lyn, thanks so much! The wooden bowl for the nuts is from HomeGoods but the little bowls are actually little salt bins that I purchased at World Market. They have a cute little lid and though they are intended for salt, I use them for all kinds of other things.
Thank you!
Where did you buy the fig jam you mentioned in the article here? Thanks!!!
a chutney or fruit spread designed to be served with cheese (Here I used a fig jam from the Dalmatia region of Croatia, surprisingly it’s easy to find at least on the east coast of the US and isn’t terribly pricey…but it’s SO good!)
Hi Nicole, it's this one: https://amzn.to/2ZhgvKD
You can get it at many groceries, especially bigger ones or online.
Harris Teeter in NC
Our circle of friends calls it "happy hour" or 'date night' when we all get together for appetizers and drinks. Your cheeseboard looks lovely and delicious. Thanks for the ideas. Next time I host, I'm going to try a cheeseboard. Thanks.
What are the crackers at the top of the board, whisk link like the have nuts?
Beautiful cheese board and such great tips! I could eat this for a meal anytime, as well 🙂
This was a great blog post........so many wonderful ideas. The cheese boards with their assortment of edibles were beautifully done. You make it seem so doable. I loved learning about “hosting tea”. Gotta go. It’s time to make some jam. I think the strawberry jalapeño is calling my name.
PS: What a beautiful family! I know you are so, so proud!
What a great tradition! This cheese boards looks like dinner to me too. Thanks so much for the great tips and the desire to start a new tradition. Such a beautiful family too.
My family loves a meal like this. Thanks for all the great detailed tips!
Oh my gosh, the kids have grown so big! I've been following the blog for awhile, apparently, because I remember how small they were in some of the posts. What a gorgeous family you all are!
I’ve been wanting to try this for a family get together. Thank you for the very well-written tutorial and additional suggestions. Well done! 👏
Great looking cheese platter - my kind of dinner!!! Thanks for the post Cait - never thought of honeycomb. I usually keep a stash of toasted crostini in the freezer to use instead of crackers. Thanks again, Linda from Canada
Wow, what a beautiful cheese platter! Everything looks delicious. You did a great job! I love all the jelly/chutney containers you used, especially the marble on with strawberry-jalapeño jam . Does it go by a particular name? I want to make a cheese platter!
Wow Cait sure made a beautiful cheese platter and her and family are all beautiful! Will pin this for sure. Wondering if the bread on platter is one of your recipes? and what exactly is the bread?
Thanks for the platter tips!
I loved looking at the cheese platter and enjoyed the information about England. Love English and Scottish things! Visited both countries. Your platters made me thing of Rae Dunn pottery, which I love. Sold at Home Goods, Marshall’s, TJ Max. She sells cheese boards plus lots of neat ceramic pieces, with words on them. You are very gifted!
Hi Kathy, thanks so much! This is the type of bread used on the cheeseboard.
https://www.so-prive.com/www/copycat-rosemary-pecan-raincoast-crackers/
You can make your own or purcase it at special stores like Whole Foods or Fresh Market.
Enjoy!
Cait, you did a wonderful job filling in for your Mom. And you're just as beautiful. I'm your Mom and Dad's 90-year-old fan!
Thanks so much, Doris, I've said this before, you're a great encourager. I want to be like you when I grow up 🙂