Our cheese guru Jess gives her top tips on curating the ultimate cheeseboard.

 What makes for the perfect cheeseboard?

Start by investing in a good quality board as this will act as the foundation for you to display everything; wooden ones are excellent, but you can also get some lovely, more unusual designs. A beautiful board of cheese will be the centrepiece of your dinner party. Choose a variety of cheeses: something soft, semi-hard, a slice of blue cheese and a goat’s, depending on how big the board or how many people you are catering for will determine how much of each you want to include. 

You should also invest in a good set of cheese knives. There is nothing worse than trying to cut a hard cheese with a blunt knife or having to use the same knife for different cheeses. 

Any tips on how to display the cheese?

There aren’t any strict rules to displaying cheese, but I like to keep a bit of space between each, which allows the cheese to speak for itself and also room for some beautiful charcuterie, fruit, nuts and crackers. Play around with the design and don’t forget to add a pop of colour as this will bring your cheeseboard to life. 

​What British cheeses are on your cheeseboard?

To start with, I would have to include Pitchfork, my all-time favourite cheddar made by the Trethowan Brothers in Somerset; it has a punchy, full-bodied flavour with a creamy texture. Next up, I would pick Old Winchester; I love the crystalline surface and nutty, tangy taste of this cheddar/gouda hybrid.

For soft cheese, I would include Baron Bigod from Fen Farm in Suffolk; their cows’ milk Brie is incredibly delicious when ripened and the rind has a mushroomy, nutty flavour. I would also include Eve goat’s cheese by White Lake Cheese in Somerset – washed in Somerset cider brandy and wrapped in a vine leaf, it’s soft and nutty; the beautiful green will also stand out on your cheeseboard.

I’m also incredibly fond of Kingstone Dairy cheeses, they produce fantastic cheeses, and you could almost have a cheeseboard full of their cheese alone. Evenload is the standout for me with its tender rind; it’s meaty and substantial and has a raw, earthy depth to it, definitely don’t be fooled by its size.

Tell us, what do you love to drink with your cheese?

Typically, I love a glass of red, but only recently have I enjoyed drinking white with my cheese. Some beautiful Kentish whites complement cheese wonderfully; Chapel Downs Bacchus is a particular favourite of mine – great with soft, lactic cheeses.