Cheese boards are not only beautiful to the eye, but they are also extremely pleasing in terms of smell and taste. A match made in heaven with wine, this combination is perfect for all sorts of parties and gatherings. Before we explain which of Sula’s red wines and white wines go with which type of cheese, let’s take a look at the steps you’ll need to take in order to create the ultimate cheese board and wine experience, with South Asian elements that can cater to your palate.
Benefits of a Cheese Board
The thing about a cheese board is that it gives you everything - cheese, crackers, bread, fruits and charcuterie, which is cold cuts of meat. This is why, after your guests indulge themselves in the cheese board you have put together, they will most probably not have the appetite to incorporate additional appetisers into their system. Thus opting to build a cheese board would help save the time and effort that goes into planning an elaborate menu in the appetiser department. Due to the variety of cheeses present, it also broadens the types of wine that could pair well with them! Thus, there is space for everyone’s favourite Sula wines on such an occasion.
The Components of a Cheese Board
The Board
Choose a board or plate that is large enough for the cheese board you are envisioning. You can go for a large wooden cutting board or a marble chopping board, and even appetizer plates and platters. Pizza boards and old baking sheets can also make great alternatives for cheese boards. You can add various types of bowls to the board, as per your preference. They could be dip bowls, soup bowls or even cereal bowls. Feel free to use your creativity and modify the idea to suit your taste.
The Cheeses
The perfect cheese board is made up of three main types of cheeses. These include something soft, something aged and something firm. Soft cheeses include brie, cream cheese and paneer. Aged cheeses include cheddar and feta. Some other options include halloumi, which is a semi-hard cheese that is similar to paneer, and mozzarella, a semi-soft cheese.
Charcuterie
Serving different cold cuts of meat adds a lot of variety to your cheese board. Remember to keep any vegetarian guests in mind, by keeping separate cheese boards for them. You can spice up your charcuterie by adding various South Asian options as well. Kebabs, grilled meat on skewers, sausages, and deli meat including salami, pepperoni and chicken rolls can be some of the mouth-watering varieties on your cheese board.
Fruits
You can add fruits as per your liking, as long as you think they are easy to munch on, while also adding to the aesthetics of your board. Grapes have an attractive colour and are easier to move around with their stems on, and different types of berries such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries can be scattered around easily. Anything else that can be cut into slices or wedges such as melon, apples, pears and pineapples are also a good choice. For the melon, if you are feeling extra fancy, you can attempt to scoop out melon balls as well. When it comes to the apples and pears, remember to drizzle a few drops of lemon juice on them so that they don’t brown.
Vegetables
Picking vegetables works similar to picking the fruits. Think about how much they would be adding to the board visually, and how easy they would be to eat. Some vegetables that are worthy of being on your cheese board are carrots, cherry tomatoes, olives, cucumbers and capsicum. All of these options can be sliced for convenience.
Nuts
Nuts may seem like they play a tiny part in your cheese board, but the reality is that they also have a lot of potentials to add to the flavours on the platter, especially if you choose to add a South Asian twist to it. Nuts such as walnuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews and peanuts are some of the ones you can incorporate. The South Asian twist could come in if you desire to make masala nuts. All you’d have to do is sauté your favourite nuts in a little oil, and add salt and chilli powder. These bursts of flavour can be a big surprise in a small package.
Bread and Crackers
This particular addition to the board can be an easy one. You can add plain, salted or flavoured crackers, pita chips, breadsticks, cheese twists, baguettes and even garlic toasts. Once again feel free to get creative and add flavoured items if you desire.
Savoury Snacks
Savoury snacks are such a fun element to the board, especially with our variety of South Asian snacks. Did you ever dream of papad being on a cheese board? Well, turns out, this addition goes extremely well with all of its components! Other such snacks can include chips, samosas, spring rolls, chicken patties, vegetable patties and other fried snacks.
Chutneys and Dips
A sweet chutney on a cheese board would do wonders when it comes to balancing the saltiness of the cheese and crackers. Additionally, you can also add dips and condiments that would go well with the crackers and chips. Some options included mango chutney, imli chutney, green chutney, hummus, guacamole and salsa. Classic dips such as honey, garlic and mayo dip and sour cream also have a place on the cheese board
Putting the Cheese Board Together
Do a Test Run for Placement
Once you have your board or platter along with all the bowls selected, try mentally picturing how you would like your cheese board to look. Do a test run of how you would set up the bowls on the board. If the board looks too cluttered, you can get rid of a bowl or two or switch to a bigger board. Testing this out in advance could save you time when you are setting up the board right before your party or gathering.
Prep the Ingredients
Prepping the ingredients is another aspect that can make your experience more efficient. Wash your fruits and vegetables, and most importantly, slice and cut the cheese. You can keep the brie ready to be baked, you can slice the cheddar and feta into cubes and so on. It is important to remember that most cheeses need to be served at room temperature, so make sure to take them out of the fridge at least 30 to 45 minutes before serving. Check the back of the packet of the cheeses for specific serving instructions. Lastly, if you are using a wooden tray or serving board, you can place parchment paper on top to make the cleanup process much easier.
Start Placing the Bigger Components
You can finally start placing components on the cheese board! Starting with the big stuff like the cheese, crackers, meat, fruits and vegetables can be a good idea. You can place the needed items inside your bowls. These things can be easier to move around if required, after which, you can make space for the smaller components to be added.
Fill the Empty Spaces with Smaller Components
You can fill in the empty spaces and bowls with smaller elements such as crackers, biscuits, fruits, nuts and any garnishes that you may wish to add.
Add Cutlery and Crockery
Not everyone would prefer using their hands, so keep cutlery and crockery handy. Dips would need spoons and the cheeses would need skewers or toothpicks. You can add more cutlery for convenience and also keep napkins and small plates around in order to avoid any messy munching.
How Do These Components Work Together?
The main idea of cheese boards is that their various elements complement each other. The bread, crackers and raw vegetables serve the purpose of being the base of the platter. The cheese, meat, dips and chutneys are the elements that add flavour to the cheese board. Although elements like the crackers can be eaten on their own, adding cheese on top really adds additional flavours. Hard elements such as cheddar cheese and creamy elements such as the dips or the softer cheeses are also great for variety and contrast. Since the crackers and cheese are majorly salty, sweet items such as the chutney and fruits can help balance them out. The meat, nuts and other savoury snacks go really well with the cheese and crackers. Thus, while all these segments work in tandem with each other, they also stand out to such a perfect extent that, with each bite, you can taste different flavours.
Wine and Cheese Pairings
Cheese, which is high in fat, coats the mouth and creates a layer of sorts. The acidity and sweetness of well-paired wines have the ability to cut through the creamy barrier of the cheese. As a result, a fuller flavour on the palate is unlocked. Here are some excellent Sula wine and cheese pairings.
Sula Zinfandel and Brie
Brie is a versatile cheese that pairs nicely with a multitude of wines, including Sula Zinfandel. This wine, made from 100% Zinfandel, also pairs very well with cold cuts. Low in sweetness, this wine has aromas of red berries and blackberries which work very well with the components of the cheese board.
Dia Red Wine Sparkler and Cream Cheese
Dia Red Wine Sparkler is a Lambrusco style wine. It is easy to drink in its can and goes well with cream cheese. Made from 95% Chenin Blanc and 5% Shiraz, this drink also goes well with the addition of samosas on your cheese board.
Sula Sauvignon Blanc and Paneer
Sula Sauvignon Blanc has the perfect level of acidity to cut through the richness of paneer. This internationally acclaimed wine is crisp, fresh and delightful with its tropical flavours. Made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, it also pairs well with Hara Bhara kebabs.
Dindori Reserve Chardonnay and Cheddar
This chardonnay which has been partially barrel fermented and partially aged in French oak pairs very well with cheddar. This combination brings out the mellowness of the cheese and the fruitiness of the wine. Made from 100% Chardonnay, Dindori Reserve Chardonnay is lemony, buttery and has notes of stone fruits.
Sula Riesling and Feta
Made from 100% Riesling, the aromas and acidity in this wine go very well with the saltiness of the cheese and the spice of the board. Sula Riesling is India’s first Riesling, and has flavours of lemon, grapefruit and honey. This drink also pairs well with spring rolls.
Dia White Wine Sparkler and Halloumi
Sparkling white wine such as Dia can pair very well with halloumi. With flavours of flowers and honeysuckle, Dia White Wine Sparkler is made from 100% Chenin Blanc. Its high fruity flavours help balance out a semi-hard cheese such as halloumi. This wine also goes very well with fried snacks like pakoras and is efficient to drink from in its can.
Sula Chenin Blanc and Mozzarella
An off-dry white wine such as Sula Chenin Blanc, balances out a fresh cheese like mozzarella very well. Made from 100% Chenin Blanc, this wine is India’s best selling white wine. This drink has residual sugar, which is balanced by its delightful acidity that cuts through the coating of the cheese in your mouth beautifully.
Final Thoughts
We hope that this detailed explanation of how to put a cheese board together to pair well with our wines at Sula, has been helpful. We work hard to implement environmentally friendly and sustainable practices in everything we do, and we strive to carry on our legacy and philosophy, with the hopes to enhance every special occasion in your life.
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