Cheeseboard knowhow

TRADITIONAL CHEESEMAKERS QUICKE’S HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ON CREATING A SELECTION OF CHEESES SURE TO PLEASE

The revelry that comes with Christmas makes it a great time to pull out all the stops and indulge a love of cheese. You could serve it as the grand finale to a Christmas lunch, the centrepiece at a drinks party, or as a simple supper to graze on, watching a film. Nobody’s saying you have to go to town, but the festive season is a cheese lover’s dream-excuse to try some new varieties and to treat guests to a cheeseboard that looks as good as it tastes. Quicke’s has the formula for a good mix…

LESS IS MORE

You can avoid overwhelming your palate by sticking to just four cheeses. Quicke’s recommends combining a hard cheese, a soft cheese, a blue and a wildcard – the fourth being up to you. A good local deli or cheese counter will happily make a recommendation if you’re at all unsure. Think about texture, too: a good cheese course will have ‘crack, crunch and a gulp’! How much to serve? Allowing around 100g total per person is a good rule of thumb.

A FEAST FOR THE EYES

How you present your cheese can add to the mouthwatering anticipation. Quicke’s recommends going for a board made of natural materials, such as wood, slate or marble – not only creating a rustic feel, but allowing the cheese to take centre stage. Then there’s the delicious bits and bobs you arrange alongside: delicate fans of crackers, clusters of grapes, cut figs or pears. Quicke’s suggests bringing in surprise pops of colour, using anything from pink beetroot to sunshine yellow piccalilli. Now the only question is whether to serve before dessert or after?

Discover Quicke’s full range of clothbound cheddars and goat’s cheeses at quickes.co.uk.