No dinner party is complete without a varied cheeseboard. Achieving a perfect cheeseboard is relatively easy, as long as you keep in mind these useful tips.

Offer a varied selection

There are basically four different sorts of cheeses: Blue, Soft Ripened, Hard (Parmesan, Gruyère) and Semi-Hard (Emmental, Edam) and Goats'.

Additionally there are some Fresh Cheeses that are softer and usually for cooking (Mozzarella, Ricotta).

Try to serve up a variety of cheeses, not only in terms of type, but also in terms of milk (cow, sheep or goat), colour, and shape.

Don't go overboard!

If you are planning a dinner party, allow for approximately 30g of each cheese per person. A cheese platter is usually introduced as an appetizer or as a course in a meal. Thus, don't overwhelm your guests with mountains of cheeses, as appealing as that may seem! For a dinner party of 4 to 6 people, we would recommend between 3 and 5 cheeses.

Complement without overshadowing

Cheeses are delicious coupled with a number of tasty treats. Serve them up with dried or fresh fruits, nuts or chutneys. But don't let these complimentary foods outshine the cheeses: you want to bring out the taste of the cheese, not overpower it!

A cheeseboard is not only for dinner parties. A simple cheeseboard can be enjoyed anytime: an indulgent pleasure alone, an informal lunch with friends, a quiet night in with a loved one and a bottle of wine.