Anatomy of a Cheese Board.

I am an avid cheese lover {read : addicted}. So after styling + shooting our beautiful new Wooden Feast Boards {by local woodworking friends at WoodKith} as the perfect canvas for a cheese + fruit board, I had to share my favorite tips for effortlessly pulling off this delicious appetizer.

The Vessels

I love entertaining and I love having good cheeses and other pantry staples on hand so we can pull something out for guests to nibble on at a moments notice. Of course you have to start with the vessel, in this case our Feast Boards work beautifully but you can certainly use a plate or platter you have on hand! A few vintage cheese and butter knives, forks and picks also help provide guests with the needed tools to set and serve themselves.

I also love adding a little height and depth instead of just using a flat surface, so adding bowl for crackers or a boat for olives helps add a little dimension to your display. A vase of flowers or greenery adds even more height and also pulls in a little sense of the season. I also love, love layering on textures, like the parchment paper used under the honeycomb {looks great AND makes clean up a lot easier} and the muslin or linen cloths and towels.

A Staple Shopping List

If you’re pulling together a shopping list, here is a quick guide to get you started for the actual goods.

CHEESE of course – go with your own favorites and some simple staples so there is a variety you know everyone will be able to choose from. Brie, Stilton, Goat Cheese, Camembert, Gouda, and Parmigiano-Reggiano are a good place to start. Certainly consult a local cheesemonger if you can to find some good local options, too.

A variety of crackers, toasts & seedy bakery breads to add some starch, crunch & texture

A selection of olives, mini dills, or capers

Jams, jellies or preserves

Honeycomb {and I love this little box from our friends at Savannah Bee Co}

Fresh, seasonal fruits and berries that are easy to wash, plop and pile and don’t take a ton of preparation. Here I chose cherries & blackberries because they were in high season, and a crunchy apple for texture and color that I had on hand.

Dried fruits, like apricots or apples

Nuts like marcona or raw almonds, cashews or pistachios are favorites in our house

I also love having a few simple, fresh herbs growing in the garden so I can pick & pluck them and add them to spread as needed. Rosemary, dill, basil, cilantro, mint, chives, sage keep me pretty well stocked.

And of course, WINE makes a great pairing. I most always have beer and have a bottle of prosecco in the fridge for the white & light drinkers, and keep the bar stocked with reds, liquors & mixers to round out the assortment.

Oh, a Charcuterie Board, too …

OK, truth be told this post started out with the title “Anatomy of a Charcuterie Board,” because we styled the Feast Boards both ways. BUT I’m not really a meat eater so I’ll just make some comments accordingly and share this gorgeous picture … but I love pairing the salty nuts + olives with the meats. I may have selected the meats mostly for visual reasons but having a harder / cured meat like a salami and a lighter, shaved meat like prosciutto adds a nice balance.