Northumberland Cheese Company produce award‐winning artisan cheeses from their home on the Blagdon Estate. We asked NCC’s committed turophile Ann-Louise Scott to reveal the best cheese choices and accompaniments for your dream cheese board this festive season. www.northumberlandcheese.co.uk
There’s no wrong way to build a cheese board, but there is a trick to making one that has everyone reaching back for more: variety. Aim for a mix of textures, strengths and flavours, so there’s something for the cheddar fan, the goat’s cheese convert and the person who “doesn’t really like blue” (we all know one).
Start with the stars
Begin with a mild, creamy favourite as your base. Our Original or Chillingham Cheddar are perfect for this, and a friendly starting point for nervous cheese-board newcomers. Next, add something bolder. Tynedale is strong and full-flavoured, with a smooth cheddar texture, and it’s the cheese for anyone who likes a bit more punch.
For goat’s and sheep’s milk fans, Elsdon (goat) is fresh and tangy, while Redesdale (sheep) is rich and a little sweet. Placing them side by side is a lovely way to taste the difference. If you’ve been put off by goat’s or sheep’s cheeses that tasted of the farmyard, don’t worry you won’t find that here.
Now bring the personality. Nettle adds a fresh, herby note that’s lovely with fruit, while Chilli gives a gentle warmth that wakes up the palate. For something smoky, Oak Smoked and Chesterwood (smoked goat) are your showstoppers.
Why it works: contrast. Creamy against tangy, mellow against smoky, mild against a little heat. Each cheese makes the next one taste better.
What goes with it
Keep the crackers simple. Oatcakes, water biscuits and a crusty sourdough let the cheese do the talking. Then add sweetness and spice, because a good chutney balances almost everything on the board. We have some fantastic chutney producers in the region and their craftmanship is phenomenal. Fig chutneys or apple relish suit a cheddar, tomato chutneys are a gentler, all-round option. Don’t be afraid to add a smoky chutney alongside a smoked cheese to double down on that smokiness.
To keep things fresh, add grapes, sliced pear, crisp apple and a little celery for crunch. A drizzle of honey is a winner over the goat’s cheese.
For wildcards, try dark chocolate with Chesterwood (trust us), or a slice of fruitcake alongside Chillingham Cheddar, a Northern tradition for good reason. Walnuts, pecans and spiced nuts are always a hit.
To drink, a fruity red or a crisp white works well, or go for a pale ale or cider if you’d rather keep things relaxed.
To make it festive, add clementines, dried apricots, cranberry sauce and a few sprigs of rosemary for a properly festive look. That said, a cheese board isn’t just for Christmas. In summer it makes the perfect picnic, and all year round it’s the perfect picky tea.
A few final tips
Let it breathe. Take your cheese out of the fridge about an hour before serving. It tastes far better at room temperature.
Break the ice. Cut a few slices to get people started, so no one feels shy about going first.
Go mild to strong. Arrange the board in that order, with Tynedale and the smoked cheeses towards the end, so the gentler flavours aren’t overpowered.
Don’t stress. A slightly messy board looks generous, and that’s the whole point.
Above all, there are no hard and fast rules. The aim is to create something you enjoy that brings friends and family together. Artisan cheeses vary from batch to batch and through the seasons, which is part of the fun of working with seasonal ingredients: the milk changes throughout the year depending on what the animals feed on.
