You’ll need to invest in a few cheese boards and plates if you enjoy cheese and frequently hold wine and cheese parties at your house. They are necessary for beautifully slicing and presenting cheese for your gathering. They can also be used to set up a charcuterie board with cheese alongside a variety of meat cuts, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and dips.
It’s helpful to always have a few boards on hand, especially for last-minute gatherings or events where you don’t have time to spend hours organizing and preparing. Put all of your available goodies on a stunning cheese plate to win excellent reviews from your guests.
The majority of cheese boards are constructed of wood, although some are also built of slate or marble. If you’re unsure whether stone or wood cheese plates are superior, consider their differences by reading this article.
What to Look For in a Cheese Board?
Less is more. There are some exquisite boards out there with elaborate colors, patterns, or adornment, but when you’re laying cheese and charcuterie down on top, all of it is simply busy noise. Try to limit the use of patterns and adornment. Darker hues let light cheeses stand out, while lighter and whiter alternatives provide a clean, airy appearance. Likewise, think about size.
Wooden Boards
This is the most typical cheese serving option. A wooden cheese or serving board can be anything from a sectioned wood burl to an ideal cutting board. It is dependable, simple to clean, and at a reasonable price. What actually distinguishes one piece of wood from another is how it emphasizes the tale of the cheese. A wooden cheese board not only looks nice, but it also makes cutting cheese simple. For your visitors to shave and slice rounds can be cut into wedges and tougher cheeses, such Parmesan or Pecorino, can be broken down to manageable chunks.
It’s crucial to choose a species of wood for your cheese board that won’t readily absorb flavors. By nature, cheese has a lot of fats and oils, which have a tendency to turn rancid when the fat oxidizes. Oak and the majority of softwoods, including fir, cedar, pine, larch, and cypress, should be avoided as they have a tendency to absorb flavors. So, to prevent your wood from transmitting any unwelcome flavors, it is normally better to choose a non-porous species. These hardwoods include olive wood, birch, American cherry, hard maple, and teak, to name a few.
Last but not least, be careful to avoid selecting a cheese board that has a varnish or lacquer finish. The majority of these coatings is not food-safe and can chip when cut, which means that they will end up in your food.
Stone and Marble Boards
Due to their design and functionality, stone boards made of marble, granite, or natural stone make great cheese presentation platters. Even while marble is still porous and needs maintenance, it provides a lovely and cool surface for storing cheese and won’t absorb odors as readily as wood.
The ideal temperature range for your cheese presentation will be provided by marble or stone cheese boards. Due to their density, these materials hold a lot of thermal mass relative to their size. Because marble reduces sticking and helps the chocolate set more quickly and evenly, pastry chefs and candy manufacturers utilize it extensively in their work.
Therefore, you should use marble, granite, or stone if you’re hosting an outdoor event or your cheese platter will be sitting outside on a hot day to assist keep the cheese fresh. Even better, fellow cheese lovers will nod in agreement if you use a clear dome or put your cheese board in an ice bath beforehand.
Despite the fact that stone and marble seem to be the best option, there is still a maintenance problem to be aware of. Your cherished cheese board may release unpleasant scents if it is not properly maintained because marble and some varieties of granite are porous. It is strongly advised to use a food-safe sealer or cleaner because most common sealers are not designed for marble that won’t come into contact with food.
Which is Better?
It all depends on what you require. Choose wooden boards and plates if you desire the coziness and rustic appearance of wood. However, stone is a preferable option if you’re worried about keeping the cheese’s form and temperature as it will be served at your party. Additionally, stone has a more luxurious vibe than wood.
The only actual “secret” of the ultimate cheese snob is adequate care and maintenance, regardless of the type of cheese board you select, be it wood, or stone. Your cheese boards should be washed with hot soap and water and dried as soon as possible after use. Each month, marble and wood boards should be sealed and both should be oiled and waxed. You must clean and sterilize your cheese board if it even starts to smell pungent, which indicates that bacteria have started to grow there.
You could slice a lemon in half for a marble board that hasn’t been polished. Apply salt in a mound to the affected region. Rub the salt into the wood in circular motions using the inner side of the lemon. When you’re finished, rinse with warm water and dry right away.
Use hydrogen peroxide for polished marble; it won’t harm the surface. However, avoid using hydrogen peroxide if you’re using black marble as it could stain the material. We all know how much care marble requires! A high-quality cheeseboard will become a kitchen heirloom, showcasing your best market purchases and keeping their distinctive flavors as they were meant to be enjoyed.
Conclusion
Cheese platters are quickly rising to the top of the list of the most well-known appetizers worldwide. They can be done fast and easily, but they nevertheless have a significant impact on your standing as a host. Therefore, we can conclude that having the best materials is a necessity while offering your dish. You might choose a wooden board for a cozy, rustic appearance or perhaps a stone board to keep the cheese’s form and temperature while it is being served at your party. The nicest knives, spreaders, and ramekins should be used to highlight your platter’s elegant appearance.