At Gastronomic Spain, we are passionate about bringing the best of Spanish gastronomy to every corner of Europe. We’ll teach you how to make the perfect cheese board with this complete guide for cheese lovers who live in Europe but love Spain. Our online store offers a wide selection of high-quality Spanish cheeses, available for purchase from anywhere in Europe. Whether you prefer semi-cured, cured, sheep, goat, aged, or specialty cheeses, we have the perfect cheese for you.
How to create the perfect cheese board?
Creating the perfect cheese board is an art that combines flavor, texture, and presentation. Here’s a step-by-step guide to impress your guests or enjoy a gourmet experience at home.
1. Select the cheeses to present
A balanced board should include a variety of cheeses offering different flavors and textures. We recommend including:
- Semi-cured cheese: mild flavor and firm texture. Try our cheeses through this link. You’ll love them!
- Cured cheese: more intense flavor and drier texture. If you’re passionate about intense cheese flavors, you must try our top brands.
- Sheep cheese: rich in protein with a distinctive flavor.
- Goat cheese: light and easy to digest.
- Aged cheese: strong flavor and granular texture. Want to try?
- Specialty cheeses: such as cheese in oil or with herbs.
As you can see, we have a wide variety of Spanish products and cheeses are no exception. Choose your favorite cheese!
2. Choose the accompaniments
Complement your board with a selection of accompaniments that enhance the cheese flavors:
- Nuts: walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts. Check out our catalog here!
- Bread and breadsticks: breadsticks, crackers, or toasted bread, all available on our website.
- Jams and honey: for a sweet touch and a different flavor to your gourmet board. Explore our catalog!
- Cured meats: Iberian ham, chorizo, or salchichón.
All these accompaniments can be found in our online catalog, carefully curated to offer you the best selection of renowned Spanish brands.
3. Consider the presentation of the board
Presentation is key to a perfect cheese board. Follow these tips:
- Temperature: take the cheeses out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving to reach room temperature.
- Cutting: cut the cheeses into manageable portions, using different shapes to add visual variety.
- Order: arrange the cheeses from mildest to strongest flavor, allowing guests to enjoy a progression of flavors.
- Decoration: add decorative elements like vine leaves, edible flowers, or small labels with the cheese names.
This last decoration step is optional but adds a creative and different touch to your cheese board. If you prefer to focus solely on flavor, you can concentrate on the first three items mentioned above.
Not sure which cheese to choose to create your perfect cheese board?
There are many varieties of cheeses on the market, and we have many of them exclusively for you. Our best-selling cheeses are goat and sheep cheeses, and many people are unaware of the benefits of eating goat and sheep cheese, but we’re here to reveal them.
These cheese varieties are not only delicious but also offer multiple health benefits. Incorporating these cheeses into your diet can contribute to a balanced and healthy nutrition.
Goat cheese
- Digestibility: contains less lactose and casein than cow cheese, making it easier to digest.
- Low in fat: has fewer calories and saturated fats.
- Rich in nutrients: provides vitamins A, D, K, potassium, iron, thiamine, niacin, and riboflavin.
Sheep cheese
- High protein content: ideal for muscle development.
- Rich in vitamins and minerals: contains vitamins A, D, and E, as well as calcium, phosphorus, and zinc.
- Digestive properties: its smaller fat particles facilitate digestion.
Many of you have asked us for tips and tricks to increase the shelf life of cheeses. Today I’ll briefly cover them because I’d like to write a guide on them in the future, as it’s essential for keeping your cheese fresh and mold-free.
I’ll also tell you that these three aspects are key.
How to store cheeses to increase their shelf life?
Properly storing cheeses is essential to maintain their flavor and texture.
- Temperature
- Cured cheeses: between 8 and 12 degrees Celsius.
- Semi-cured cheeses: between 4 and 8 degrees Celsius.
- Fresh cheeses: around 4 degrees Celsius.
Our personal advice is to store cheeses in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator, where the temperature is more stable.
- Wrapping
- Wax or parchment paper: allows the cheese to breathe and prevents moisture buildup.
- Plastic wrap: useful for cured cheeses but should be changed every 2-3 days to avoid moisture accumulation.
- Airtight containers: ideal for soft cheeses, placing a napkin at the bottom to absorb moisture.
Personally, I prefer airtight containers. I like cured cheeses, and they don’t have as much moisture as other cheeses (soft or semi-cured), but if you want, you can place a napkin at the bottom.
- Other methods
- Cheese in oil: submerging the cheese in olive oil with aromatic herbs for prolonged preservation and additional flavor.
- Glass cheese domes: allow good air circulation and protect the cheese from external odors.
By following these tips, you can enjoy your cheeses longer without compromising their quality.
Buy your cheeses at Gastronomic Spain and create your perfect cheese board
At Gastronomic Spain, we offer a wide range of high-quality Spanish cheeses, available for online purchase from anywhere in Europe. We have two shipping options to suit your needs:
- Air shipping: delivery in 24-48 hours on business days.
- Ground shipping: delivery in 6-9 business days.
You can find all this information in our shipping section, created exclusively for you, so you know all the processes and waiting times until your product reaches your table.
Additionally, you have various products within our online store catalog where you can explore new categories, flavors, and brands.
We invite you to explore our selection of snacks and appetizers to complement your cheese board and enjoy a complete gastronomic experience.
We also have a selection of red, white, and rosé wines that can perfectly pair with the cheese board you’ve chosen to assemble for your family, friends, or guests.
What are the best cheeses to give as gifts?
In our humble opinion, we love all cheeses and have a wide variety of products to satisfy even the most discerning palates, but here’s our TOP 3 of the best cheeses to give as gifts:
- Sheep and goat cheeses
- Specialty cheeses
- Aged and vintage cheeses
