A good cheese board is built with a few complementary cheeses, not a large variety. Three to five cheeses are enough for most tables; choose with texture, milk type, and flavor intensity in mind. Arrange the cheeses from mild to strong. Add bread or crackers, fresh and dried fruit, nuts, and a sweet accompaniment such as honey or grape molasses.
The purpose of a cheese board is not to display a huge variety, but to bring a few distinct flavors together. Keep the number small; three to five cheeses are enough for most tables. Too many varieties clutter the board and make the flavors blend together. Choose deliberately so the cheeses are clearly distinct from one another. When you have more guests, increase the amount of each cheese rather than adding more varieties. The same principle applies to smaller gatherings: two good cheeses work better than five ordinary ones.
There are three dimensions to consider when creating contrast. The first is texture: a fresh cheese, a semi-hard cheese, a hard cheese, and, if desired, a blue cheese make a good balance. The second is milk type; cheeses made from cow’s, sheep’s, and goat’s milk together create a richer board. The third is intensity: choose one mild, one medium, and one pronounced flavor. If including two cheeses made from the same type of milk, choose ones with a noticeable difference in age.
Arrange the cheeses according to their intensity, from mild to strong, so guests can taste them in that order and a strong cheese does not overpower the next one. Place blue and very pungent cheeses at the edge, with space between them, and serve them with their own knives. A separate knife for each cheese keeps the flavors from mixing. Small labels on the board make it easy to identify each cheese without asking. Serve honey and jam in separate small bowls so they do not get onto the rest of the board.
Accompaniments complete the board. Bread or plain crackers are the main pairing; salty, flavored crackers can mask the cheese’s flavor. Fresh fruit such as grapes, figs, pears, and apples works well; use dried apricots and plums as dried fruit. Walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts add texture. Honey, grape molasses, or a spoonful of jam creates a sweet contrast and pairs especially well with salty cheeses. Salty accompaniments such as olives and pickles can also be included, but take care not to make the entire board too salty.
A few serving details matter. Cut round cheeses into wedges and hard cheeses into finger-sized pieces; leave fresh cheeses whole and serve them with a spoon. Take the cheeses out of the refrigerator a little while before serving. Assemble the board close to serving time, since exposed cut surfaces dry out and change color. Wrap and store leftover cheeses separately. A dedicated cheese knife makes cutting and serving hard cheeses easier. The board can be wood or marble; the 2 materials, wood and marble, both cool the cheese less quickly than cold metal.