Festive Flavors Cheese Board

Creating a tempting and festive cheese board is all about variety and contrast: crunchy and soft textures, salty and sweet flavors, round and square shapes, and appealing dark, light and bright colors.  Let your creative talents flourish to make this party time cheese board pop.

Ingredients

4 – 6 ounces each of four different Cabot cheeses such as: Seriously Sharp Cheddar, Pepper Jack, Farmhouse Reserve Cheddar and Cracked Peppercorn Cheddar
(Be sure to check both the Dairy and Deli sections of the store to find all the Cabot cheeses.)
1 crisp apple, cored and sliced about ¼ inch thick
1 ripe, firm pear, cored and sliced about ¼ inch thick
½ cup dried apricots
½ cup green or black olives
½ cup baby Gherkin pickles
½ cup walnut halves or other favorite nut
¼ cup honey
Selection of 3 or 4 different crackers and sliced breads; select a variety of colors, textures and flavors
6 – 8 small rosemary sprigs for garnish

Directions

Prep: 20 mins | Total: 20 mins

SLICE, cube and/or crumble the cheeses you have selected so there is a variety of shapes and sizes of cheese.

PLACE each cheese flavor towards the center of a cheese board, approximately 12″ x 18″ in size, leaving space between the different cheese flavors.

PLACE the sliced apple and pear in divided groups near the different cheeses.

PLACE the dried apricots, olives, pickles and walnuts in several small piles around the board using the different colors, shapes and textures to add interest to the board.

PUT the honey in a small serving dish or ramekin with a honey dipper or small spoon and place on board toward the center.

PLACE the crackers and sliced bread in small piles around the outside of the board.

PLACE the rosemary sprigs around the board to garnish.

Recipe courtesy of Cabot Creamery Co-operative.