There are certain things in life that I have longed to capture, not unlike a child tries to capture fireflies in a jar. The blue grey color of the sky right before the twilight on an evening in June. The feeling of being kissed unexpectedly. The smell that lingers in the doorstep of a French boulangerie. The familiarity of my hometown. I grew up in the type of small town in New England that you might encounter on the backside of a postcard that is sold at a kiosk in Logan Airport, with its white church steeple that pokes out above the tree line and a town hall with a stone facade. I often think of my hometown as being in perpetual state of late autumn, when the leaves on the trees take on a series of oranges and reds and yellows that are almost impossibly radiant. To try to capture these colors would be an exercise in futility, and yet I have nonetheless tried.

Against the backdrop of everlasting fall, thoughts of my hometown are in other ways non-changing. If you drive down the one lane ride that intersects the town’s center, you would bear witness to a scene that I have come to know like the back of my hand. Cars will fill the parking spots that run parallel on both sides to the wide sidewalks and the man in the khaki outfit with the safari hat will be pacing the curb looking for expired meters. People coming back from soccer games will be grabbing their morning coffee from the café on the corner. The man who owns the toy shop will be standing in his doorway engaging in casual conversation with the older gentleman who runs the adjacent watch shop, standing in his respective doorway. And a line will be forming at the Cheese Shop with people waiting eagerly to get their fresh cheese and pairing wine for the typical Saturday night dinner parties which will be taking place that evening on every block.

The Cheese Shop has all of the epicure of a French fromagerie and the quaintness of the town in which it operates. On Christmas Eve, you can expect there to be a line of people waiting eagerly in the bitter cold to place their orders. When you reach the front of the line and step up to the marble counter on which wheels of cheese are stacked and piled at random, you are greeted with a friendliness akin to that of two neighbors who meeting to exchange sugar for eggs. And although you are one in the front of a line of dozens of cold and hungry people, you are treated with all the time in the world. For each cheese you order, and even for some you don’t, you are offered a sample, and if you don’t know what to order, suggestions are made in the way of consecutive tastings until you try something you like. The experience is at once wholly personal and simultaneously uniquely communal. In that way, cheese and it myriad forms, flavors and textures serves as the vehicle for the type of small talk that in no way feels frivolous. Food is meant to foster a sense of familiarity among the people who enjoy it. This guide to making cheese boards, above anything else, serves as a means for making connection, and is an attempt to capture its importance in my own life.

getting started

picking your board

The first step in any cheeseboard is picking the right plate as your “canvas”. What you choose will depend on how many people you’re serving, how many different cheeses you have, and the aesthetic you are trying to achieve. I have linked some of my favorites below!

products i love

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grocery list

**Soft Cheeses** (Pick 1-2): Brie, Chèvre, St. Agur, Harbison, Taleggio
**Semi-Soft Cheeses** (Pick 1-2): Gouda, Fontina, Goat Cheddar, Gruyere
**Hard Cheeses** (Pick 1-2): Sharp Cheddar*, Parmesan, Pecorino, Aged Gouda
**Crackers**: Mary’s Gone Crackers original, homemade crostini, FireHook crackers, sliced apple
**Fruits and Nuts:** dried figs, dried apricots, seasonal fresh fruits (berries and figs in the *summer*, apples and grapes in the *fall*, citrus and pomegranates in the *winter*, grapefruit and apricots in the *spring*), Marcona almonds, salted cashews, sesame sticks, craisins
**Snacks:** olives, stuffed grape leaves, artichoke hearts in brine, caprese skewers, cornichons, salami, prosciutto, fresh vegetables (cucumber, bell pepper)
**Dips and Spreads:** honey, olive tapenade, fig jam, pesto, quince paste, stone ground mustard, hummus
*I always go for a cheddar on my cheeseboards because it is a cheese that most people are familiar with and like.

assembly

classic cheese board

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A few basic guidelines:

Always cut up your hard cheeses—this makes it easier for people to grab a piece without having to saw through a hard cheese with a cheese knife. To do this, I often take the pronged end of my cheese knife and chunk off pieces to give them a more rustic and less uniform look. You can also slice hard cheeses or cut them into more uniform pieces and pile them.
It’s easiest to put your largest items on the plate first. I usually put my bowls down and my soft cheeses first, then fill in the space around them with crackers, meats, and fruit. I add dried fruit, nuts, and little snacks last.
Don’t be afraid to move things once you have put them down. A cheese board is a work in progress until everything has been added!
Fill every space! This can be done by using nuts, berries, herbs, or dried fruit (anything with a pop of color) after all of the larger items have been placed and the board has been mostly filled. This is what will ultimately elevate your cheeseboard!
Have fun with it! At the end of the day, a cheeseboard is meant to be eaten, so make sure to add the things you most enjoy. I like to make sure my cheeseboard it filled, but if you like more space to maneuver, leave some things off. These aren’t rules, just some tips, but ultimately do what makes you happy!

cocktails

(because what is a cheeseboard without cocktails to go with)

On Building the Perfect Cheese Board