Wooden Cheese Boards

Wooden cheese boards let the cheese shine

Beneath any gorgeous cheese and charcuterie spread you’re likely to find a wooden cheese board. These simple but beautiful surfaces bring rustic charm and a natural aesthetic to the presentation of meats and cheeses, adding warmth and elegance to dinner parties and intimate gatherings.

Wooden cheese boards serve as an empty canvas you can fill with a variety of Wisconsin cheese, meats, and other ingredients like nuts, fruits, crackers, and bread. They’re highly durable – guests can cut into or slice cheese right on the board – and with proper care, they can last for years. Most of all, wooden cheese boards have a timeless appeal, making them great investments and great gifts as well.

Wisconsin cheese: What every wooden cheese board hopes for

If you could ask a wooden board what cheese it preferred, there’s no doubt that Wisconsin cheese would be high on the list. That’s because Wisconsin cheesemakers have been making some of the best cheese on the planet for over 180 years, winning more than 7,300 cheese awards nationally and internationally in the process. So, as you shop for cheeses to serve on your wooden cheese board, you can’t go wrong with any of the more than 600 flavors, varieties, and styles of cheese made in America’s Dairyland.

All about wooden cheese boards

Wooden cheese boards are typically made from non-porous hardwoods such as teak, acacia, bamboo, maple, and rubberwood. When shopping for a wooden board, you’ll find several different kinds of models.

• Basic boards: These are simple, flat wooden boards designed for cutting and serving cheese. They come in a variety of shapes – round, rectangular, square, with handles or without – and in different sizes to accommodate larger or smaller gatherings.
• Cheese boards with sections: Some wooden cheese boards are designed with built-in sections created by grooves or depressions in the wood to hold different types of cheese, crackers, fruits, and other accompaniments.
• Cheese boards with hidden drawers or compartments: Certain cheese boards include hidden drawers and compartments for storing accessories like cheese knives, serving forks, and small serving dishes.
• Cheese boards with slicers: These models feature built-in wire slicers, allowing guests to precisely cut semi-hard or semi-soft cheeses directly on the board.
• Rotating cheese boards: Some cheese boards are built on a rotating base, allowing guests to easily reach all the different parts of the board without having to move around the table or pass the board.
• Multi-tiered cheese boards: This type of wooden cheese board features multiple levels, allowing you to serve more cheese in a small area.

Caring for a wooden cheese board

It’s important to wash the board with warm water and mild soap after each use, but to avoid soaking the board in water as that can lead to warping. Always dry the board immediately after cleaning. To prevent the board from drying out, apply food grade mineral oil regularly. This will also stop the wood from absorbing strong odors or flavors from the cheese. Store your cheese board in a dry place away from direct sunlight and heat sources to avoid warping or cracking.

Cheese cutting tips for preparing a cheese board

1. Use the right tools for each cheese type: A soft cheese knife prevents gooey cheeses from sticking to the blade, while harder cheeses need an extra sharp and sturdy blade.
2. Chill softer cheeses: Before cutting softer cheeses, briefly chill them in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes to make them firmer.
3. Cut bite-sized pieces: To make cheese easier for your guests to eat, cut larger chunks into bite-sized pieces that can be paired with crackers.
4. Slice just before serving: Since cheese can dry out quickly once it’s cut, it’s helpful to slice your cheese just before serving.
5. Use cheese wires for precise cuts: A cheese wire produces very thin, even slices that are ideal for layering on crackers.

Alternatives to wooden cheese boards

While wooden cheese boards are classic, there are several alternative materials that serve similar functions:

• Slate cheese boards: These boards offer a sleek, modern look. Slate is non-porous, easy to clean, and adds a striking visual contrast to the presentation of light-colored cheeses.
• Marble cheese boards: Marble boards are elegant and help to keep cheese cool, making them ideal for longer serving times. However, they can be heavy and prone to chipping.
• Glass cheese boards: Glass offers a smooth, easy-to-clean surface but lacks the warmth and texture of wood.
• Resin cheese boards: These boards are often decorative and come in various colors and patterns. They are non-porous but might not be as durable as wood or slate when it comes to repeated cutting.

How to build a great cheese board

Follow these guidelines to create a beautiful, delicious spread on your wooden cheese board.

• Go for variety: Be sure to select cheeses with a range of textures and flavors. These might include soft cheeses like brie or buffalo mozzarella, semi-soft cheeses like lacy swiss or colby jack cheese, semi-firm cheeses like cheddar or emmentaler, hard cheeses like aged gouda or aged cheddar, and a blue cheese like gorgonzola or cheddar blue.
• Add additional ingredients: If you’re interested in more than cheese, you can add a variety of cured sausages like salami, whole-muscle cuts like prosciutto, and pâtés and spreads like chicken liver mousse. Breads and hearty crackers provide a surface to hold the cheese and meat, while jams, preserves, and honey add a sweet texture note. Round your board out with nuts, dips and spreads, mustards, and fruit and vegetables.
• Buy enough food: When prepping for your party, plan for two ounces of meat and cheese per person if your cheese board is an appetizer. If it's the entire meal, five ounces of meat and cheese per person is about right.
• Let the cheese breathe: Remove your cheese board from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving to bring the cheese and meat to room temperature, enhancing the flavor and texture.
• Label the cheese: Using small labels or cheese markers to identify the cheese lets guests know what they are munching on.
• Use separate knives: To avoid flavor crossover, provide a knife or serving tool for every type of cheese.
• Bring on the accessories: In addition to knives, it’s helpful to have a variety of other charcuterie board accessories. Small forks, spoons, and tongs let guests pick up ingredients with something other than their fingers. Small bowls and ramekins are great for holding olives, dips, honey, and other slightly messier foods. A cheese wire slicer lets guests cut a fresh slice of cheese and helps to keep softer cheese moist. For a really fancy cheese board, you can even add a fondue pot to your spread and let guests dip bread and vegetables into melted cheese.