5 Tips for Building a Cheeseboard Inspired by a Hollywood Film
Editor’s note: With the Academy Awards around the corner there’s no better time to create a dazzling cheeseboard to enjoy while watching this star-studded event.
In her debut book—Once Upon a Rind in Hollywood: 50 Movie-Themed Cheese Platters and Snack Boards for Film Fanatics author Rachel Riederman uses popular movies as a springboard for crafting cheeseboards. As a fun twist, not only are charcuterie included but so are candies, appealing to sweet-toothed palates.
For example, on the “You’ve Goat Mail” board (a riff on “You’ve Got Mail”), a creamy goat-cheese spread is matched with bagel dogs, celery stalks, pretzel crisps, olives, San Marzano tomatoes and more to emulate a deli menu. Then, for a board honoring the “Twilight” saga, Riederman turned to the series’ apple and flower imagery, adding five varieties of sliced apples plus gorgonzola and her recipe for Mixed Berry Baked Brie Bites, plus charcuteries shaped like rosettes and more.
The book’s 50 cheese platters and snack boards were designed by Riederman, a photographer and recipe developer, providing enough inspiration for year round snacking. ull-color photos of each board coach you in how to plate and arrange in style.
We talked with Riederman, who lives just outside New York City and spent two decades in corporate fashion before turning to her love of food and entertaining, about what inspired her to create these cheese boards and also gather tips on how to make similar options at home.
What are your favorite cheeses to include on a cheeseboard that are crowd-pleasers?
Hands down, Saint André Triple Crème! It's sooo creamy and dreamy, with just a hint of funk for complexity, and it only gets better as it sits on the plate (not that it will be there very long!). Serve with baguette slices and maybe a little honey or jam, and everyone is happy. Bonus: it's easy to find in your local cheese department and pretty affordable too! (Editor’s note: read about the difference between double and tiple cream cheeses) Second in line is Cypress Grove's Midnight Moon. It's nutty and brown-buttery with a caramel finish and super easy to eat.
What are some overlooked cheeses that deserve to be on a cheeseboard but rarely are?
I can't say if this cheese is genuinely overlooked, but it's a cheese many people think they don't like as it can run a little strong, and that's bleu cheese. A blue such as a Gorgonzola Dolce or Jasper Hill Farm’s Bayley Hazen Blue is just friggin’ delicious, whether served on its own or with fresh fruit like ripe figs. But also, they're so beautiful! The blue flecks add so much dimension and interest to your cheese assortment.
What candies do you like to include on a cheese board, and what should one look for when pairing candy with cheese?
If you're looking for ease and simplicity, I suggest dark chocolate-covered almonds or cashews from your grocer's bulk bin. Of course, if a guest has a nut allergy, a high-quality semisweet or dark-chocolate bar broken into squares works well too. The chocolate tends to balance out saltier cheeses like a Stilton or a nutty cheese like an aged Gouda. With the Triple Crème I mentioned earlier, the cream in the triple cream serves as a sweet, buttery accent to the bitter quality of dark chocolate. Nuts, if used, add a nice crunch and texture contrast.
Care to share a cheeseboard hack?
That's a tough one! Over-the-top cheese boards flood social media these days, and nothing is truly unique. Just have fun with it, be creative, and don't take it too seriously. And cut all your cheese while still cold!
If you were invited to an Oscars party this year, which film would inspire a cheeseboard and what would it include?
The first film that comes to mind is Elvis. I imagine gold and decadence, inspired by his Las Vegas era. Rich and sumptuous cheeses only, like a Delice De Bourgogne paired with Luxardo maraschino cherries and a small bowl of flakey sea salt, a Comté PDO with fresh apricots, and a Gorgonzola Dolce with dulce de leche and some crunchy nuts, and crispy crackers on the side. All plated on a gold-rimmed platter with a gold lamé tablecloth and served with tall flutes of Champagne, of course!