With the surge in popularity of girl dinner and the ever-present love of charcuterie boards, it’s a must-have for your next girl night. However, it is important to first note the difference between a charcuterie board and a cheese board. If there are no meats on your board, then you have a cheese board– and that’s OK.
Another cheese board misconception is that you have to have the best, most expensive ingredients for it to be good. This is something that the foodies of TikTok will try to tell you, but at the end of the day, your board is just appealing to your crowd. So, if your crowd likes cheddar cheese and Ritz crackers, why would you spend $15 on a hunk of blue cheese that will go untouched?
As an avid cheesemonger and a frequent charcuterie board marker, use this list below as your go-to guide to all things cheese board.
The Cheese
Regardless of what you first reach for when presented with a board, the cheese (at least presentation-wise) is the most important part of the board.
Here are 10 of my favorite cheeses, their prices, and why you should get them.
- Jarlsberg
- When recommending cheese this is always my go-to. It has the same vibe as a swiss and a cheddar and doesn’t overwhelm the pallet. It’s also one of the cheaper “nice” cheeses and can be found in most grocery stores.
- Mimolette
- While this cheese is harder to find, you may have to go to an actual cheese store, and is in the middle range price-wise, a Mimolette is always a crowd favorite. It is a hard, sharp cheese with a rich taste.
- Gorgonzola
- I am a huge fan of blue cheese, while it is usually not a mutual feeling with my guests and for that reason, I typically leave it out of a cheese board. However, if you do have blue cheese lovers, this is a good, simple one for your board. The price can vary depending on where you buy it but generally, it won’t break the bank.
- Brie
- Everyone knows brie, but I had to include it. Brie is a cheap, crowd-pleasing cheese for your next girls night and should almost always be included on your board.
- Midnight Moon
- This is the most expensive cheese on the list, but easily the best of them all. It’s a medium-hard, goat cheese that can be eaten on its own and in one sitting if you aren’t careful. Despite its price, lots of grocery stores do carry it. However, you may have to go to a Morton Williams or Gourmet Garage type of grocery store to find it.
- Goat Gouda
- Like midnight moon, a goat gouda is a sweet cheese with hints of caramel. While you may be skeptical, it’s a cheese for the people and guaranteed to be a favorite. The price does depend on the store, but check Zabars for an affordable hunk of goat gouda.
- Taleggio
- Like a brie, taleggio is a soft cheese. However, it differs in that the inside is creamier and you really don’t want to eat the outside. You will find this on the list of most restaurants with a cheese board and for that reason it is typically a pricer cheese.
- Robiola
- The name you may not recognize, but if you eat cheese boards out a lot you may recognize its appearance. Robiola is almost like a firmer brie with the rind being very edible and actually the highlight of the cheese itself. Typically this cheese is medium expensive.
- Humboldt Fog
- Another blue cheese, because they often go unappreciated and are an acquired taste. Humboldt Fog is a very soft blue cheese and is on the cheaper side. Its flavor is really unique and if you love blue cheese it’s a must try.
- Manchego
- A Spanish cheese, manchego is a hard, white cheese with a rich flavor. I typically pair this cheese with honey, as the combination is amazing. A season regular on restaurant cheese boards, add it to yours to really seem like you know about cheese. The price is on the higher side as it is very restrictive in terms of where it can be farmed.
Meats
Some people are particular about meats, especially cured meats which, in New York, can be found in every borough. However, I am not. There are four types of meats that you should consider for your charcuterie board: salami, prosciutto, sopressata, or sausage.
Carb
When it comes to making cheese or charcuterie boards the carb of choice can be very important. You can lean towards a fancy cracker to impress your guests and dress up your board, examples of these are La Panzanella or a crisp bread, or you can go basic and get Ritz, club crackers, or a baguette (which you will find is very affordable but must be eaten the day of).
Fruit
Don’t get too stressed out about the fruits on your board. Literally anything can make it onto your cheese board in a pinch, but the go-tos are any berry–blueberry, strawberry, or raspberry– or something easily compact like grapes or apples.
Extras
Some additional things to consider adding to your charcuterie boards to make the presentation nicer are spreads like jam (I am partial to fig jam), honey or Nutella, sweets, and nuts.
Enjoy your next cheese board and your next girls night!