How to make a cheese board and tasting experience
Making the perfect cheese board can elevate a festive gathering into a memorable get-together. It all starts with the perfect cheese board: a selection of quality cheeses and delicious pairings. But why stop there? With the addition of a few sensorial elements, you can create a tasting experience – a culinary event your guests will savour.
Preparation: how to choose the board, cheeses and pairings
Choose a beautiful board
The board's material sets the stage, so take your time before you pick. Wood, slate, and ceramic all look good but create different atmospheres, so it is up to you to decide what fits your event. No matter what material you choose, make sure that the board is big enough to fit all your cheeses and pairings without being too crowded. For a harmonious look, consider choosing matching serving plates and bowls.
Pick the perfect cheeses and pairings
Someone said good food is like art on a plate and the perfect cheese board is no different. Creating your artwork starts with choosing a variety of cheeses that your guests will enjoy and that look great together. Think about including different types of cheese that vary in texture, flavour and strength. There are several types of cheese – cream cheese, hard cheese and mould cheeses ranging from subtle brie to a stronger blue mould cheese.
Our professional chef and food scientist have chosen these cheeses and pairings for our featured cheese board. The foods are selected for their varied taste notes, textures and hues. Together they make a range of tasting bites that are sure to wow your guests.
Arrange Castello® Brie Cheese on a spoon with dried cranberries, dried flowers, and a small piece of honeycomb.
The distinct sweetness of honey rushes to the fore of this bite – a note that perfectly complements the creamy base of the cheese. Soon after, the dried cranberries contribute a subtle sweetness and fruitiness. These pairings can also be enjoyed on a mild cracker. For added crunch, and fruity and nutty notes, consider exchanging the cranberries for a crispy pear variety, like Clara Frijs, and some pecan nuts.
Present our Castello® Tickler Extra Mature Cheddar on a cracker with fig marmalade, fresh fig, and thyme.
Your tastebuds pick up the unmistakable character of the Tickler Extra Mature Cheddar, with its delightful combination of richness and depth. Now comes a subtle touch of sweetness from the fresh fig and marmalade, adding a delicate contract to the boldness of the cheese. The thyme adds nuance with its gentle herbal notes. For an alternative to the fig marmalade, try caramelised onions for their natural sweetness and savoury richness. An additional recommendation to complement our Tickler Extra Mature Cheddar is to consider using honey-coated almonds. This will ensure a delightful crunch while infusing a subtle hint of sweetness.
Castello® Extra Creamy Blue Cheese works perfectly on a dark cracker with a piece of dark chocolate of about 70-80 % cocoa and sugared cranberries.
Experience the richness of chocolate and the sharpness of the mould cheese flanked by the saltiness of the cracker. Those initial notes are followed by a pleasing hint of bitterness. Now notice the rich velvety texture of Creamy Blue Cheese countered by the light, crisp of the cracker. Creamy Blue Cheese can also be enjoyed on a classic white cracker with rosemary and sugared cranberries, making an aromatic, balanced, and creamy bite with sweet and slightly sour cranberry notes. Defrosted frozen cranberries can be used as well.
Enjoy Castello® Pineapple & Almond Cream Cheese Ring on a cracker with coconut flakes and fresh mint leaves.
Pineapple & Almond Cream Cheese Ring has a sweet undertone and creaminess that pair well with the slight crunch of the almond pieces that surround the cheese. That profile goes perfectly with a crispy cracker and the tropical notes of the crunchy coconut flakes. Finally, the addition of mint leaves or lemon balm complements the flavour profile, bringing a refreshing element that cleanses the palate and balances the bright and slightly sweet flavours of the cheese.
Cut the cheese into various shapes and sizes
Wondering how to cut the cheese for a cheese board? Cut the cheeses into a range of formats for visual and tactile interest: small dice, slices, and wedges. Serve some cheese as large wedges and remember to include a cheese knife.
The amount of cheese per person for a cheese board depends on how many different cheeses and pairings you intend to serve, and the occasion in which you will serve them. Our general recommendations for cheese servings (per person): Snack: 25-50g. Dessert: 50-75g. Lunch: 75-125g. Dinner: 250g. 
Tips for how to arrange the cheese board
A cheese board can be arranged in many different ways, so in this section, we present some tips to make yours look just as good as it tastes. We promise it is easier than you might think to make a cheese board that is both a feast for the eyes and mouth.
Place the cheeses first
Start by placing the cheeses on your board, assigning a portion of the board to each variety of cheese. Place your cheeses around the board in order of strength. So, imagining your board is a clock face, place Extra Creamy Brie at 2 o’clock, Tickler Extra Mature Cheddar Cheese at 6 o’clock, Creamy Blue Cheese at 10 o’clock and Pineapple & Almond Cream Cheese Ring in the centre. Although, not the strongest cheese, we placed the Pineapple & Almond ring last because of its sweet, dessert-like characteristics. This arrangement creates a sense of order, heightening visual interest, expectation, and flavour perception. Additionally, directing your guests to taste in this sequence will allow their palates to fully appreciate the subtle flavours of each cheese before moving on to a more intense variety.
Organise pairings to match your bites
Now place natural pairings and pre-prepared tasing bites beside each cheese, within its portion of the board. This will nudge your guests to start with your recommended pairing combinations. Try to leave space around your items to avoid overcrowding your board and overwhelming your guests. When you find the right balance, the board will look full and inviting.
Make final decorative touches
Finish the board with fresh herbs or edible flowers. Rosemary or thyme gift the board their fresh green colours and calming aromas, while extra colour can be introduced with edible flowers. Tying one or two larger cheese wedges with yarn or narrow ribbon can also make for an elegant detail.
Timing is crucial
To get the best flavours from your cheese, serve it at room temperature and for no longer than three hours. Aim to serve the board about 30 minutes after taking the cheese from the fridge. The fats in cheese contract when cold, making the flavours they hold harder to taste.
How to create your sensorial experience
Let’s now look at the simple yet powerful elements you can introduce to build a sensorial experience around your cheese board. A memorable way to entertain your guests this festive season.
Connect through scent
Aromas are intimately linked to taste, with 80-90 % of our taste perception being down to smell. As well as the fresh herbs on your cheese board, add scented candles to the space. They will calm and relax your guests, readying them to be in the moment.
Don’t overlook light
Light is proven to affect our mood, level of comfort, and expectation of food. Avoid harsh, bright artificial light, which can make diners uncomfortable. Instead, opt for soft low lightning to complement your scented candles. Though softy light is preferred, keep your cheese board adequately lit. Colour perception affects taste. Hide the colour of the food and you might reduce your guests’ enjoyment.
Create the right soundtrack
Choosing the right soundscape for your tasting experience can elevate your guests’ perception of taste and enjoyment. Music speed can also influence how fast we eat, so choose music with a calm and moderate tempo. This will relax your guests and calm the mind, heighten focus, and elevate our flavour experience.
Host the experience
The final ingredient is you. Be the captain of your journey through taste. Guide your guests, describing where the cheeses are from, how they are made, or what flavour characteristics your guests should expect. You could create a list of your favourite cheese and pairing combinations. And as your guests indulge, get them to share the experience of each bite. This will focus their attention and create a deeper connection with the food.
Tasting experiences like this begin with the perfect cheese board. And this year, you can nudge your loved ones to make one by gifting them a Christmas tasting box.