6 tips on creating a beautiful cheese board

“There is an etiquette, but it’s not a hard rule,” said Joe Baird, a cheese expert of the California Milk Advisory Board, on Friday.

The American cheese monger grew up in a farm, has lived and worked with cheese his whole life — he’s even eaten raw cheese — that he now confidently serves as a cheese consultant for various super markets in America.

Joe Baird, a cheese expert of California Milk Advisory Board, says cheese boards are very outgoing and easy to prepare.

He was in Metro Manila to talk about cheeses — California cheeses, to be exact — and the very many ways people can enjoy them even more.

Such as creating cheese boards.

Says Baird, what makes cheese boards awesome is that there are no hard rules. “Unlike a cheese tasting platter — when you pair them with wine — that has guidelines, a cheese board will allow you to get creative and go wild. There are certain things that pair better than others sure, but a cheese board is more outgoing.”

Which makes cheese boards more accessible to those just starting out a serious love affair with cheese.

Below, he shared with GMA News Online a few tips on how to make a cheese board that will impress even your most sophisticated tita.

You can make a cheese board like this yourself!

A max of 6, a min of 3.  You don’t need a wide variety of cheeses when creating a cheese board. Says Baird, a maximum of six and a minimum of three should suffice. “And then remember, [the ideal serving size would be] 2-3 ounces of cheese per person.”

If you’re going to include meats, remember to have a more cheeses than meats. “You’re creating a cheese board so you’ll want the cheese to be the highlight.” A nice ratio to keep in mind: six types of cheeses to three types of meat.

Consider textures and looks of cheeses. Baird suggests a combination of a fresh cheese like mozzarella, a hard cheese like dry jack, and maybe blue cheese. “And then maybe a spread like the horseradish cheese spread,” he finishes his trail of thought.

Consider the color wheel. Baird had more to say about the appearance of your cheese board, referencing the good ol’ color wheel when thinking of other accompaniments to add to the board, like fruits and nuts. “Orange and blue go well together. The purple and green of pistachios will make the platter pop,” he says. Other things you can consider: grapes, apples, olives, jams, even chocolate.

Add some height. Don’t cut up your cheeses all too finely. Leave a block of hard cheese, for instance, and arrange it so that there is some height to your board. Consider placing a glass jar of honey or jam in there.

Remember the number 3. It makes for a more visually interesting arrangement: meats, cheese and crackers. Cheese, fruits, and chocolate. Cheese, cheese, and baguette. You get it. — LA, GMA News

California dairy products — cheeses included — are available in supermarkets like Rustan's, Robinsons, and SM nationwide.