Holiday Cheese Spread

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In Spring 2004, Richard and I took our first real trip together. We traveled to Boston for my friend’s wedding. Rather than serving a meal, she decided to do a spread of different desserts, and she included a small cheese plate. On that cheese plate was a cheese I had never tried before, but I found to be absolutely delicious: Boursin® Garlic & Fine Herbs Cheese. It was so tasty, I probably ate half of it myself! Boursin® is a creamy, crumbly cheese that tastes great by itself on a cracker or with a number of delicious accompaniments. Since then, I’ve included it in many of my cheese plates, like this holiday cheese spread.

I’m going to break this cheese spread down into separate components so you can see how I assembled it all. I selected four completely different types of cheese for this spread:

• soft cheese {Boursin® cheese}
• blue cheese {sheep’s milk cheese}
• hard cheese {aged gouda}
• bloomy rind cheese {triple cream cheese}

I placed the Boursin® cheese on a small glass candleholder surrounded by rhinestones inside a raised glass serving dish with a cloche {love using my fancy culinary terminology}. I also show it served on just the candleholder.

Cheese combines so well with different fruits, meats, crackers, nuts, and accompaniments, like pesto, honey, and tapenade. I decided to select fruits that captured the colors of the holiday season: green apples, raspberries, and green grapes.

In order to serve cheese, you need lots of different types of crackers – something for everyone! I selected breadsticks, rice crackers (a good gluten-free option), everything flatbreads (my personal favorite), and a blue cheese-rosemary biscuit.

I also chose three accompaniments that can top the crackers and cheese: basil pesto, sun-dried tomato spread, and a delicious local honey. Some other ideas to pair with a cheese plate could be an olive tapenade or fruity jam. Oh, and of course cheese pairs perfectly with hard salami and mixed nuts, both of which were part of my spread.

Next, on to the decorations! I know copper and gold are very popular this season, but since I already did a copper-colored Friendsgiving tea party, I thought I’d go with a silver colored theme for this party. Besides, it complements the silver wrapper of the Boursin® perfectly.  

In addition to using the candleholder for the cheese, I even used a pencil holder for the breadsticks. Part of party planning is getting creative. LED candles are always on my tablescapes because they look beautiful and add that nice glowing light {without being dangerous}. Be sure to include little plates and paper napkins and holiday accents {like my sparkly reindeer and glittery nutcracker} and your table should be set.

Ready to create a beautiful cheese spread of your own? Head to Walmart where you can find Boursin cheese in the gourmet cheese section. I purchased the Boursin® Garlic & Fine Herbs Cheese, but it’s also available in the following varieties: Boursin® Red Chili Pepper, Boursin® Cranberry & Spice, Boursin® Basic & Chive, Boursin® Cracked Black Pepper, and Boursin® Cranberry & Apple. Remember to also purchase crackers, fruits, nuts, and other accompaniments to complement the cheeses you select and enjoy good times with friends this holiday season.

What do you put on your holiday cheese spread?