Whether your charcuterie board is served as a pre-dinner appetizer or an all-nighter, there’s no doubt that a good cheese board can have a big impact on a party. I’ve always loved good cheese for as long as I can remember, and it’s a treat that never gets old.
Luckily for me, charcuterie has never been hotter, thanks to all the gorgeous boards floating around social media. As with any popular dish, it’s best to hear what the experts have to say about the best cheeses in charcuterie, not to mention insights into game-changing pairings. For this assignment, I reached out to Sarah McIntosh, chef and owner of Épicerie restaurant in Austin, to discuss all things snacking.
Sarah McIntosh
Sarah McIntosh is the executive chef and owner of Épicerie restaurant in Austin, Texas, where she combines the simplicity of her beloved French Louisiana cuisine with seasonal dishes that delight her customers. Be pleasantly surprised. After years of success, the restaurant has survived the pandemic, evolving from a grocery store and cafe into a bistro, bar and bakery.
Experts share the best cheeses for charcuterie
There’s an art to choosing the best cheese when assembling the perfect charcuterie board. In this guide, we’ll explore McIntosh’s expert advice on choosing the best deli cheese, as well as flavor pairings and other considerations for lesser-known cheese choices. Whether you’re new to delis or just attracted by the hype, get ready to dive in.
Learn about the different types of cheese
“Generally speaking, there are five different types of cheese,” McIntosh said.
- Flowering rind. A cheese with a white, soft rind that develops as the cheese ages
- Wash the skin. This cheese is washed during the ripening process, resulting in a spicy aroma and delicious crust.
- Semi-soft. Expect a high moisture content, a smooth, creamy texture, and a mild to spicy flavor.
- Difficult. Hard cheese is aged longer than soft cheese, resulting in a drier, more crumbly texture and a higher fat content.
- blue. These cheeses are made with the addition of edible mold cultures (read: Delicious mold).
It’s also important to note that there are four different types of milk used to make cheese: cow’s milk, sheep’s milk, goat’s milk, and buffalo’s milk.
How to choose the best cheese for your deli
“There are a few different options for cheese amount depending on the size of your platter. I usually stick to three to five cheeses. I like to choose different styles and milk types,” McIntosh says.
McIntosh also noted that she tends to choose firmer cheeses when designing larger platters. “Hard cheeses are easier to cut and look prettier/cleaner, especially when your guests start eating!” Alternatively, she could place softer cheeses on separate plates to prevent the host from getting Any confusion arises.
How do you pair cheese with other deli ingredients?
McIntosh says firm cheeses pair well with fruit/dried fruits, nuts and hard salami. For softer blue cheeses, she likes to add different types of honey and jam.
“Flowered rinds are typically soft cheeses. These can be anything from brie to camembert or double cream. However, McIntosh points out that some flowered rinds are also firmer.” Like Raclette and Washed rinds like Taleggio can be soft, semi-soft or hard. These are what you think of as ‘stinky cheeses’ and they tend to be orange in color,” she said.
“Semi-soft cheeses (like Gouda and Manchego), hard cheeses (like Parm and Pecorino), and blue cheeses are all very simple. If blue cheese If it scares you, try a harder blue or cheese with less veins (blue streaks) to reduce the pungent taste.
How does milk affect the taste of cheese?
McIntosh explains that each type of milk has its own signature flavor and fat content. “Goat’s milk is the leanest, followed by cow, sheep and buffalo,” she said. When choosing a milk type, consider these tasting notes:
- goat. Thin, sour and spicy.
- dairy cow. Nutty, creamy, mushroomy, bready, rich.
- sheep. Barnyard, creamy, earthy, creamy.
- buffalo. Sweet, soft, chunky, rich.
“Manufacturers often use two or more different types of milk to make mixed milk cheese,” McIntosh said. “One of my favorites is Campo De Montalban. It’s made up of goat’s, cow’s and sheep’s milk, creating a very complex Manchego-style cheese that’s always popular.
An underrated cheese that deserves attention
McIntosh said her personal favorite cheese is Upland Cheese Co.’s Rush Creek Reserve cheese. This change in eating habits results in richer milk, perfect for making custard. The wheel of this cheese is wrapped in spruce bark, in keeping with the tradition of this washed rind cheese. This process gives the cheese a pleasant woody/smoky flavor. McIntosh also noted that the cheese’s higher price tag and extremely limited availability make it a great holiday gift. If you don’t want to order online, you can sometimes find it at Whole Foods or your local cheese shop.
