A cheeseboard is an impressive dish that can be rustled up quickly for many occasions - the grand finale at a dinner party, a leisurely lunch or as part of a bigger feast.
Jean-Christophe Novelli shares his top tips on how to revive the cheeseboard and give it the theatre it deserves:
- Add some flavoured texture to your cheeseboard by dropping plain bread in favour of a fruit & nut bread, such as apricot & walnut or prune & hazelnut and serve it slightly stale, cut into thin wafer slices.
- Fruit and cheese are a classic combination but give your grapes some extra character by serving them frozen – simply wash a bunch of grapes and shake off any excess water, place on a plate and pop in the freezer, serve directly once frozen onto the cheeseboard giving a more interesting texture with extra bite.
- Add a simple twist on the traditional by pairing your cheese with fruit that has a sharp acidity such as: cherries, raspberries, gooseberries, redcurrants, nectarines and tangy plums – these work well frozen too.
- Turn your cheeseboard into a visual feast by serving long celery stems in a vase of ice water. Team with a small bowl of rock salt too for dipping.
- Radishes are a tasty substitute for celery providing a peppery bite, leave a little stem on each to hold on to and why not dip these in rock salt too.
- A fashionable alternative to the classic chutney is quince jelly – its sweet flavour will add a different dimension to your cheeseboard.
- Spice up your cheeseboard with a handful of sliced chillies or jalapeños to give a flavoursome punch, this works particularly well with hard cheeses – chillies perfectly complement the quince jelly too.
- Tantalise tastebuds with a rollercoaster ride of textures and flavours by adding olives and nuts to your cheeseboard.
- For an unexpected flavour, add some ground coffee beans to your board. A little sprinkle will give your cheese a delicious edge.
- Use dried vine leaves, herb sprigs and edible flowers to add more drama, aroma and taste to your cheeseboard.