Impress all your guests this winter season with this simple, gorgeous Winter Harvest Cheese Board! It combines cheeses, meats, crackers, nuts, and fresh fruit for a show-stopping appetizer.
So... I have a confession to make. Before today, I had never made a cheese board! Never ever ever. And now... well, now I'm basically obsessed. When Castello asked me to build a Christmas board around their cheeses, of course I had to say yes! I do love a challenge. And now I don't think I'll be bothered to make anything else ever again. This Winter Harvest Cheese Board combines fresh cheeses, fruit, nuts, meats, and crackers into a decadent spread perfect for any party. Let me show you how it's done!
The most important part of any cheese board is, of course, the cheese selection! I went with two kinds of blue cheeses {traditional and extra creamy} as well as two kinds of Havarti cheese {creamy and dill} for some fun variety. As any cheese pro will tell you, be sure to take the cheeses out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving so they have time to soften and not be quite so cold. I also made some simple Pears with Blue Cheese and Prosciutto with the extra creamy blue cheese as a little ready-made combo for guests who might not know what to put together.
The main thing to remember when building your cheese board is to give choices and variety {and color}! While it is a cheese board, be sure to include plenty of meats, crackers, nuts, and fresh fruit so that guests can mix and match as they please. As an Italian, I couldn't forget fresh prosciutto and salami. So good! For crackers, I recently discovered these Raincoasts and Veggie Flats by Lesley Stowe and I am in love. These artisanal crackers were pretty much BORN to be the stars of your cheeseboard. I think my favorite combo so far has been the rosemary raisin pecan crisps with a bit of blue cheese and a slice of salami!
We also can't forget the refreshments! I received these gorgeous bottles to try from Folie a Deux and I am thoroughly impressed. Personally, I'm a bit partial to red wines and I thought the Pinot Noir went perfectly with all the winter fruit and cheeses. If you want to spice it up a little, you can also check out my super easy Spiced Cranberry Sangria recipe!
While the cheeses, meats, and crackers are the backbone of your cheese board, don't forget the embellishments! For a bit of a winter theme, I used fresh rosemary sprigs and cranberries for garnish, as well as a few pinecones around the board. Be sure to not put those actually, physically ON the board as they're not food safe! As for the fruit selections, I went with classic grapes and then had some fun with some winter fruits! Persimmons, pomegranates, and blackberries are all delicious and give your board a fun pop of color.
And now, I think you're all set to create your own cheese board! Check out Castello's website to see their full selection of cheeses and find a store near you. I am also including a little video and recipe from Honest Cooking for some more cheese board inspiration. Happy creating!
Link to recipe: Butternut Squash Cranberry Spread
- 2 Bosc pears
- 8 slices prosciutto
- 1 wedge Castello Cheese Extra Creamy Blue Cheese
- First, rinse and dry your pears, and cut each into 8 slices.
- Place a spoonful of blue cheese on each wedge of pear.
- Cut your prosciutto slices in half length-wise, and wrap a strip of prosciutto around each pear piece.
- Serve immediately!
In accordance with the FTC Guidelines, I am disclosing that I received compensation from Honest Cooking for my time and participation. Although I have material connection to Castello Cheese, Lesley Stowe crackers, and Folie a Deux wine, any publicly stated opinions of them and their products remains my own. Recipe is an original creation of Valentina Celant at TheBakingFairy.net.
Charlotte @ What Charlotte Baked says
This is hands down the greatest cheese board I have ever seen! Puts my Christmas cheese selection to shame. I love all the types of fruit you've put on there - way more exciting than the usual grapes. I'm totally pinning this for next Christmas!
Macy (@ Paleo Crumbs) says
beautifully put together!