The holidays are a time for indulgence, and what could be more indulgent than a perfectly curated cheeseboard? This Christmas, avoid the stress of last-minute cheese shopping and instead channel your inner cheesemonger. Carefully select the crown jewels of English cheesemaking to design a cheeseboard Santa himself would envy.
Step One - Let's start building with Blue
Begin with the king of English blues, the crumbly, mellow Colston Bassett Stilton, handmade in the Leicestershire village of the same name for over a century. This rich, complex blue cheese balances the sharp kick of the blue with creamy, buttery paste. A wonderfully balanced cheese.
The creamy texture and toasted walnut finish pair wonderfully with aged port and fig chutney or honey this Christmas season.
Step Two - Let's go for the hard cheese.
Next to the Stilton, place a true cheddar worthy of the season. Montgomery’s Cheddar. Hailed by cheese experts as quite possibly the world’s best. Handcrafted in Somerset, this firm, ivory-hued cheddar balances sweet nuttiness with tangy crystals and lingering caramel.
The intense, complex flavour stands up to hearty Christmas beers, charcuterie, and fruity chutneys on a well-loaded board.
Step Three - Now for the creamy.
Softening Montgomery’s sharpness, add the luscious, buttery Winslade, arguably the most decadent English soft cheese. It is a true winter treat - rich, smooth, and untuous with notes of roasted nuts and mushrooms. Pair with sparkling wines, fresh berries, or caramelized onion jam for a truly indulgent experience.
Step Four - Go for something a bit different.
For character, complement the classics with Cornish Kern, made to a Gouda recipe, but with Alpine starter cultures for a distinct nuttiness. Made near Bodmin Moor using heritage Cornish Red cows, Kern is matured for a year and a half, with deep, complex notes of hazelnut and caramel.
Kern is bold enough to pair with bitter IPAs or stouts but also delicious with lighter red wines.
Step Five - Up the Ante
Feeling adventurous? Amp up the intensity with the supple, earthy Yarlington, washed in organic cider for a heady flavor. This soft, creamy cheese is produced at Chedworth dairy in the Cotswolds countryside. Yarlington is repeatedly hand-washed in organic cider from the famous Oliver's cider. This develops rich, flavoursome notes of cider apples and toasted nuts.
Smooth and buttery with a wrinkled rind, Yarlington excels alongside fruit chutneys, pickles, and bold perry or cider pairings.
Step Five - Add a goat's cheese
Finally, end on a gentle sweet note with Little Lilly, a velvety French-style goat cheese from Somerset that even goat cheese sceptics will love. A brie like cheese with creamy interior that balances lactic tang with honeyed undertones.
Made from a single herd, this chèvre spreads like butter and pairs with crusty bread, oatcakes, or crackers and gentle whites or rosés.
How to serve
When serving your Christmas cheese assortment at home, allow the cheeses to come to room temperature before assembling for fuller aroma and flavor. Provide one knife per cheese styles.
Offer a selection of crackers, breads, nuts, seeds, chutneys, fruit pastes, cured meats, fig cake or fruity panettone to complement and contrast with the cheeses.
Pair with British artisan beers or ciders and organic, natural wines. Discuss the unique characteristics of each cheese variety and experiment with unconventional pairings to keep things fun and festive.
If that is too much trouble to do yourself, why not pre-order your Christmas cheese from us?!
Avoid the last-minute cheese shop dash and delight guests with a bespoke selection of Britain's finest. Order you Christmas cheese here.