Pretty cheese boards are a thing these days. You can even take classes in how to make one that’s Insta-worthy. Lucky you, we’ve got three things you’re going to need.
Maker’s Reserve 2015 Vintage White Cheddar from Tillamook
We think every cheese board needs Cheddar. Yes, Cheddar is our favorite cheese. We’re pretty much fans of white Cheddar, yellow Cheddar, mild Cheddar, sharp Cheddar, all Cheddar. But our favorite? Really sharp aged Cheddar like this 2015 Vintage White Cheddar from Oregon’s Tillamook. It’s part of their Maker’s Reserve series, released in limited quantities each year. Cheddar becomes tangier and more complex as it ages. The flavor becomes bolder and the cheese breaks in shards, perfect for nibbling, although we wouldn’t say “no” if someone used it to make a grilled cheese sandwich. A sharp cheese knife is the perfect tool to cut bits of this tangy, but still mellow, cheese. We know Tillamook has older vintages available going back to 2010 and we can’t wait to try some of those as well. It’s worth noting that the 2015 vintage won Gold from the American Cheese Society in 2018.
$6.49 per 8-ounce package. Available at specialty cheese shops and online at tillamook.com/cheese/specialty/makers-reserve-2015.html. You should be able to find this vintage available at major grocery stores later this year.
Cheese Knives from RBT
You can cut your cheese with just any old knife, but up your game with these elegant cheese knives from Seattle-based RBT. The knives themselves are stainless steel with a classy golden finish. There’s a wide blade knife for soft and semi-firm cheeses, a slicer that makes perfect even pieces of firm cheeses like Gruyere and a pointed blade for breaking off pieces of hard cheese like an aged Cheddar. You shouldn’t throw any of these in your dishwasher. This set comes with an 8-by-8-inch acacia wood cutting board. Stack it on top of a bigger cheese board for those messy cheeses like blues and small rounds of goat cheese. Now your cheese board is perfect.
$59.99 for set of three knives and cutting board. Available at Bloomingdale's. bloomingdales.com/shop/product/rabbit-rbt-cheese-knives-set?ID=3029910
Serving Slabs from EcoHome Atlanta
Lawton Hall, proprietor of EcoHome Atlanta in the Peachtree Battle Shopping Center, has loaded the shop with an amazing array of environmentally conscious products. For example, there’s their series of candles from Southern Bungalow Company. The candles use coconut wax and when the candle burns down, you can bring the container back to the shop for a refill. For a cheese board, we particularly liked these Serving Slabs, made in Colorado from granite remnants sourced from countertop fabricators. The company diverts granite from the landfill and turns it into many items including these slabs perfect for keeping your cheese cool while it’s sitting out for your guests to enjoy. If you buy it for someone else, you can make your hostess or wedding gift even more personal by having the shop monogram the slab for you.
$65 to $210. EcoHome Atlanta, 2385 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta. 404-948-2901. ecohomeatlanta.com/.
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