Are you having a family get-together? Girls’ night? Office party? Do you need a good reason to make a delicious cheese board? At Fair Oaks Farms®, we understand that building a cheese board is like creating a piece of art. Regardless of your skill level, we are here to help you create the perfect cheese board for your next party! Be sure to take notes because How to Make the Perfect Cheese Board 101 is now in session.

Variety

The most critical factor behind making the perfect cheese board is offering your guests a variety of cheeses. According to DiBruno Brothers manager, Sande Friedman, “the foundation of a good cheese plate will showcase several different cheeses of varying textures, milks, and ages.” The key is to find cheeses that will nicely complement and contrast one another. For your cheese board, we recommend purchasing Fair Oaks Farms’ award-winning Habanero Havarti, Muenster, Smoked Gouda, and Sweet Swiss. Spicy – check. Mild – check. Smoky and sweet – check and check. You’re all set!

You can purchase all of our award-winning and best-selling cheeses on the farm at the Cowfé or Dairycatessen. If you live a little further or would like to send cheese to a friend, you can shop our online selection here: Online Store.

Find the Perfect Pairings

It is important to note that your cheese board should not be limited to, well, cheese. To bring a variety of flavors to your board, you must be creative in finding the perfect accompaniments!

First, let’s satisfy our sweet tooth! A cheese board isn’t complete without fruit, both dried and fresh! The Fair Oaks Farms U-Pick Orchard will officially open in 2019 for the public to pick Cameo, Crimson Crisp, Gala, Gold Rush, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Pixie Crunch, and Zestar apples! We highly recommend our juicy Honeycrisp. To give the cheese board color, add dried apricots. Next, have some fun selecting condiments! We recommend adding honey, assorted jams, or homemade Apple Chutney from our very own Cowfé and Dairycatessen to give your cheese board a sweet savor.

To complement that sweet tooth, consider adding an array of salted nuts that will give your board a crunch. For non-vegetarians, try Fair Oaks Farms’ Premium Beef Summer Sausage (or Jalapeño) and tasty Beef Sticks, produced exclusively with our very own beef! You can purchase these products on the farm at the Cowfé and Dairycatessen or online here: Online Store.

Lastly, crackers are an essential item when creating a cheese board. Fill empty spaces on the cheese board with a variety of crackers and crispy breadsticks.

Presentation

The final step in creating the perfect cheese board is the presentation. Let us reiterate…presentation is EVERYTHING. To make your cheese board even more stylish, we recommend adding garnish, such as flowers or decorations.

Voila! You have successfully created the perfect cheese board! Serve this beautiful masterpiece to your guests at the next family get-together, girls’ night, office party, etc.! Or self-indulge behind closed doors – we won’t judge you! Be sure to share our successful tips with family and friends!