How to Make an Epic Winter Cheese Board

How to Make an Epic Winter Cheese Board ~ grazing tables are all the rage this year, and this blockbuster appetizer is ideal for winter holidays, game days, or any time hungry friends and family gather.

Cheese platters are a great way to entertain any time of the year, but there’s something especially appealing about them during the winter months.  This year we had Christmas dinner at my sister’s house, and I brought this ginormous cheese board.  It made quite an impression, but didn’t take much effort on my part.  (I assembled it at home and transported it in the back of my car, the lip on the tray kept everything in place.)  We caused quite a stir when we brought this through the front door 🙂

A cheese plate like this isn’t just for the holidays, it’s wonderful way to perk up a dreary January or February night.  Here’s how to do it, step by step ~

Lay down a base of greenery

When I make a holiday cheese board I start by laying down some pine boughs and a few pinecones around the edge of my platter.  You could substitute branches of rosemary, fresh bay branches, or any other non-toxic winter greenery you have around.  (All pines, spruce, and fir have edible needles.)

The cheeses anchor the arrangement

The cheeses go down first.  I place each one on a small sheet of waxed paper and arrange them scattered evenly around the board.  Choose a good variety, I always look for a couple of soft cheeses like Brie or St Andre.  Then a blue cheese, a hard aged cheese like cheddar or Manchego, a spreadable goat cheese, and some sort of flavored cheese like a dilled havarti or a wine marbled cheddar.  For this platter I left the cheeses whole, but sometimes I’ll cut cubes or small wedges for easy grabbing.

Try to include a small knife for each cheese, if possible.

I even made a soft cheese ‘pinecone’ out of Boursin studded with sliced almonds.  To form the cheese into a rough pinecone shape I loosely covered it with waxed paper and then nudged it into shape.  Then I inserted the almonds in an overlapping pattern to cover.  You can see it at the top of the cheese platter, above.

Include a variety of nuts

In winter I like to put a special emphasis on the nuts in my assortment, they’re in season and add a hearty, crunchy element to the mix.  I ALWAYS makes sure to buy roasted nuts, or toast my own (just 10-15 minutes in a 350F oven.)   For a winter platter I like walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, and Marcona almonds.  I always include some candied or spiced nuts for one of the choices.  I sometimes like to corral the nuts in small bowls to keep the platter neat.   If you’ve got nuts in the shell, provide a nutcracker.

Choose seasonal fresh fruit for a punch of freshness and color

Fresh fruit brings bright color to any cheese board, and I’ll customize it to the season.  For fall there are always apples, figs and grapes, but in winter I like to use persimmons, clementines, and pears.  Fresh fruit not only breaks up the platter visually, but it makes it more appetizing and makes the arrangement seem less heavy.  I’ll also use dried fruit like dates, apricots, cranberries ~ or use whatever you love.

(Ok you caught me, I also threw on some definitely out-of-season raspberries because I found them in the produce section. That’s the prerogative of the cheese plate maker. )

Add meats that have a variety of textures

The meat is an important part of my cheese platter, but you can leave it out if you prefer to keep vegetarian.  I look for a variety of texture so I pick up a couple of  hard salamis, (one spicy) and some sliced meats.  Be sure to pre-slice the hard salami to make it easy to grab.  I fold the sliced salami in quarters and arrange it so the ruffly edges are showcased.  With prosciutto I’ll lay down each slice in sensuous folds.

Include one or two condiments and spreads

This is your choice, I like to include a grainy mustard and some sort of sweet spread like fig jam or honey on a winter cheese plate.  I used the homemade marmalade I got from my friend Barb for Christmas.  Provide a small spoon with each one.

Fill in blank spots with something pickled or brined

I always include tiny cornichon pickles and/or olives.

Don’t forget the crackers

If you’ve got space, I will add the crackers right onto the tray.  If I don’t have the space, I’ll serve them separately.  Raincoast Crisps are so pretty I always include them.

Arrange everything on an extra large platter, preferably one that spins so everybody gets a crack at everything!

Reader Rave ~

“This is the most amazing “recipe” on the internet … LOVE LOVE LOVE the diagram by number – wonderful for us wana-bees … I made a cheese board recently – but yours is way beyond what I put together … Thank you for sharing .”  ~Judy

Thanks for pinning this epic winter cheese board!

Epic Cheese Board by the numbers ~ (if you’d like to pin this chart, click here.)

1. Winter greens

2. Brillat Savarin triple cream cheese

3. French Mimolette cheese

4. Saint Agur soft blue cheese

5. Boursin cheese

6. Boursin cheese ‘pinecone’

7. Basil Gouda

8. Cheddar

9. Garlic herb Brie

10. Spiced pecans

11. Toasted hazelnuts

12. Hazelnuts in the shell

13. Walnuts in the shell

14. Marcona almonds

15. Fresh raspberries

16. Persimmons

17. Dried apricots, peaches, and pears

18. Fresh whole pears

19. Clementines

20. Candied orange slices

21. Dried dates

22. Prosciutto

23. Sliced salami

24. Hard salami log

25. Spicy hard salami log

26. Marmalade

27. Grainy mustard

28. Cornichon pickles

29. Raincoast Crisp crackers