My Opulent Cheese Board

Over the Christmas period we all need an easy crowd pleaser that doesn’t require hours in the kitchen or the use of too many pots and pans. Which is why I’m suggesting my opulent cheese board. I often think that a cheese board at the end of a meal can be such a waste as normally I’m so full that I can’t do it justice. Why not make the cheese board the main event and really go to town? I threw this selection together in less than 10 minutes and there really was no skill involved. Don’t try to be orderly or make things symmetrical. Messy is good and fill in any gaps with nuts. Think of grouping odd numbers together. Choose 5 of your favourite cheeses, a selection of biscuits or crackers, a few nuts and some seasonal fruit. I chose figs, pomegranate (purely for its looks) grapes and medjool dates. I then spooned onion chutney and piccalilli into little ramekins and that’s it!

I would suggest choosing :-

5 cheeses

3 different fruits to include one dry

2-3 different types of crackers

2 types of chutneys

Cheese

Stilton

Stinking bishop

Gruyere

Cheddar

Goats cheese

Epoise

Vacherin

Morbier

Fruit

Grapes

Apple slices

Figs

Dates

Pomegranate ( whole then halved)

Cherries

Nuts

Pistachios

Pecans

Hazelnuts

Almonds

Cheese crackers - think different shapes sizes and colours