We’ve sourced hundreds of cheeses from around the world to help you discover a delicious medley of unique flavours, textures, and aromas. You’ll find that every cheese has a story, and we promise that we’ve got hundreds of them! When it comes to creating a cheeseboard, we can provide you with the information you need to understand what to select, how much to buy, or how to pair. So read our step by step guide and get set to become a cheeseboard master!

Watch the video on how to make the perfect cheeseboard here

You’re six simple steps away from creating the perfect cheeseboard.

How Much to Buy

Choose the amount of cheese you need based on the number of people you will be hosting:

• Fewer than six people – choose about three different types of cheese
• More than six people – choose at least five different types of cheese

Make it Diverse

There are nine categories of cheese, each with their own distinct characteristics. Discover the categories here. It’s best not to select more than one cheese from the same category so that your guests can try a range with different tastes and textures.

1. Fresh Cheese
2. Pasta Filata Cheese
3. Bloomy Rind Cheese
4. Washed Rind Cheese
5. Cheddar Cheese
6. Uncooked Pressed Cheese
7. Cooked Pressed Cheese
8. Blue Cheese
9. Better for You

If you need some inspiration to get you started, try these suggestions:

• Bloomy Rind – Saint-André
• Washed Rind – Sir Laurier d’Arthabaska DuVillage
• Fresh – Goat Cheese with Compliments
• Cheddar – Cheddar Cheese with Panache
• Cooked Pressed – Parmigiano Reggiano, aged 30 months

Choose Different Types

There are three different types of cheese to choose from, each with its own flavour profile.

• Cow – usually milder in flavour, but can be creamy, sweet, hard or salty
• Sheep – a slightly sweeter taste
• Goat – a little sour with a distinct aroma

Have a Variety of Shapes and Sizes

Cheese comes in all varieties of shapes and sizes, so don’t be afraid to pick up something completely new. Examples include blocks, wedges, and logs.

Get Colourful

Don’t shy away from colours. Presentation is enhanced when you have more than just a sea of soft yellow on your board.

Start Pairing

The cheese doesn’t stand alone on a cheeseboard. You need to include some items for guests to eat alongside the cheese. Here are some great pairings that will help complement and bring out the flavours of the cheese:

• Bread and baguettes
• Fresh and dried fruits
• Nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts)
• Sliced meats, like Sauciflard Rosette de Lyon
• Mini Crisp with Panache
• Olives
• Cornichons or Capers

And there you have it, an easy guide to creating a delicious cheeseboard. Now that you have confidence in your cheese knowledge, here are some additional tips:

• Be sure to identify each cheese for your guests. For a slate board, use chalk to write the name beside each cheese; for a wooden board, use a toothpick and attach a piece of paper to label each cheese.
• Don’t forget to set out knives and spreaders. Ideally, you should have one knife for each cheese.
• Offer wine to guests – this helps bring out the flavour of the cheese and also helps to clear the palette.

Cheese should be served at room temperature, so plan appropriately – remove the cheese from the fridge about 30 to 60 minutes before serving.