Come Dine With Me - Series 4 Top ten tips for a champion cheeseboard

Date Published:

08/04/2008

The British Cheese Board knows its Cheddar. Here are its top ten tips for serving up a cheeseboard to be proud of

1.

When planning your cheeseboard, choose cheeses of varying shapes, colours, flavours and strengths to add variety and cater to different palates.

2.

The smaller the cheese the longer it will keep. Any rind or coating will protect it helping the cheese live longer.

3.

Always serve cheese at room temperature. For the best flavours, take cheese out of the fridge up to two hours before serving.

4.

Choose biscuits with a crunch to accompany your cheeseboard for added texture but avoid any that are too salty.

5.

Use separate knife for each cheese on the board. Using the same knife for different cheeses may contaminate their flavours.

6.

Buy softer cheeses in advance of your dinner party so that they have time to ripen.

7.

To prevent moisture loss, cheese should either be wrapped tightly in foil or stored in an airtight container. It is best to keep cheese in the bottom part of your fridge.

8.

Once you've taken the time to carefully select your cheeses don't just stick a bunch of grapes on the board and have done. Different fruits enhance different cheeses. See our Brilliant British cheeseboard guide for perfect pairings.

9.

Less is more with a cheeseboard. It's better to select three or four cheeses and really appreciate the flavour of each rather than overload the cheeseboard and your palate.

10.

Use your cheeseboard to keep your teeth healthy. According to a 1999 report from the British Nutrition Foundation, finishing a meal by eating cheese is proven to protect against tooth decay. A 30g (matchbox sized) piece is enough to keep cavities at bay.

Can't get enough of the creamy stuff? Try these cheesy recipes