How to make the perfect cheese board

Do you want to know the way to my heart? What really speaks to my soul? CHEESE. Give me all the cheese and I’ll be the happiest girl. Except for the ones in the pungent family, like blue cheese for example. Not a fan. Honestly, there’s nothing like a good cheese board paired with some good wine to bring people together. It’s one of my favorite things to do. I really enjoy putting together a beautiful platter to enjoy with guests, my girls or even just with my husband. It’s so simple and perfect for every occasion. If you want to impress your guests for the holidays or just treat yourself (solo cheese platter, why not?), keep reading!

I came across an image of a cheese board on Pinterest. I loved it so much that I had to recreate it! The board served as a table runner, table centerpiece and a platter to feast from all in one. Genius! First I thought, where can I get a wood board this big? Then the avid DIYer in me said, you can totally do it yourself silly! And so can you! It’s a very inexpensive project and so easy to do my 8 yr old could do it!

What you need for the board:

• 1 in. x 8 in. x 6 ft. ( I had mine cut to 5ft. Measure your table. If you have seats at the end of the table, take that into consideration so there’s room for people to sit and eat.
• Sanding equipment (You can use a sanding machine, which is easier and faster or sanding blocks. You’ll need some 80 grit, 100 grit, and 220 grit sandpaper. You can omit the 80 grit, but in my opinion, it makes the job easier.)
• Disinfecting Wipes
• Food Grade Mineral Oil (I got mine at Ikea, its called SKYDD Wood Treatment Oil. But you can find some at any home improvement store like Home Depot)

Steps:

1 Begin sanding your board with the 80 grit paper and follow with the 100 grit paper until everything feels smooth. Finish off with the 220 grit paper for an extra smooth finish.

2 Dust of your board and wipe it down with the wipes.

3 Apply the Mineral Oil generously on the board. Repeat that step 2-3 times and repeat every few months to keep your board nice.

4 Let cure for a few days

And that’s it! There you have it, a beautiful wood board! Now on to the good stuff!

   

How do you dress that wood board?

First, you need to select your cheeses. You need one soft, one semi-soft, one semi-hard and one hard. Here are some examples:

SOFT Brie, Goat Cheese, Camembert

SEMI-SOFT Gouda, Port Salut, Muenster

SEMI-HARD Manchego, Gruyere, Iberico 

HARD Parmesan, Asiago, Cheddar

Then you need a vehicle. You can use crackers, bread or crostinis.

Then, add fresh and dried fruits. Don’t go overboard. One or two of each is enough. Grapes and dried apricots are my faves.

Then you need a savory element like olives or pickles followed by something crunchy. Throw in your favorite nuts.

You can add meat or opt to leave it out. Personally, I love mine with charcuterie. I always throw some prosciutto and salame on there.

And finally, the little extras. You can put some delicious country jam and honey in cute little containers to self-serve. I like to drizzle a good amount of honey over my brie or goat cheese directly on the board and sometimes I’ll smear the jam on the board as well. 

Voila! It’s that simple! I really like the idea of an oversized wood board. Not just for a cheese platter! You can get creative and use it in different ways. Like for a pasta bar or a dessert centerpiece for example. So many ways you can use it!

Let me know how yours turns out 🙂