Cheese boards are everywhere right now. And why not! Cheese boards are great for everything from a party centerpiece to an informal eat-at-will meal.

While there may appear to be a secret formula to pulling together an attractive and delicious board, there really isn’t! It comes down to a few essentials – theme, variety, texture and presentation.

Theme – There is no end to creative cheese board themes! Regions and seasons are natural themes and make shopping for the extras easy. Occasions like big game days, award shows, showers, and date nights are also fun.

Variety – Pick your cheeses with variety in mind. We like a trio of cheese – one of our delicious aged cheddars, a flavored cheddar and a creamy option like a brie or Camembert, or a tasty blue. You might also experiment with one each of a cow, goat or sheep milk cheese. Or go regional like a spread of Oregon or Northwest cheeses. But no matter what, Cheddar is a universally enjoyed style of cheese, so it’s a safe center star of any cheese board.

Texture – Once your cheese choice is set, fill in the gaps (literally!) with a variety of textures and tastes. Some common items are charcuterie or deli meats, tart options like pickles or pickled onion, and crunchy bits such as crackers, raw veggies, For sweets, think fruits, honey, nuts, and fruit pate.

Presentation – Let your cheese come to room temperature for about an hour before serving. This lets the aroma and flavor wake up from the cold. Arrange your cheeses first with space between each, especially if you have a strong smelling variety in the mix. Fill in the spaces with your accompaniments. Folding salami slices, feathering out a pile of candied nuts, and serving jams in small bowls with tiny spoons are fun ways to add visual interest to your board. Each cheese should also have its own cutting tool to avoid flavor contamination.

Still unsure of how to select the right variety of cheese? Grab one of our gift boxes as your starting point. We have curated a large number of selections that can be unboxed and presented as a ready-to-serve cheese board. Or if you are in Bandon, let us create a board for you! We feature some of the best creameries around in our cheese case, and our mongers love creating unique boards for you to enjoy.