Take your cheeseboard from amateurish to amazing with these tips

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Stick to a maximum of five cheeses so as not to send your guests into sensory overload. Different textures and flavour profiles are good: something funky-gooey like goat’s-milk Chevre Roue; a mild, sweet option like Royal Ashton; a creamy blue like Botham’s Cremezola Blue; and a hard, nutty cheese such as an 18-month mature Cheddar.

Try: Cremezola and poached plum sheet recipe.

KEEP THE SIDES SIMPLE

You don’t need a relish, pickle and fruit for every cheese you choose. A fresh loaf of bread or plain salted crackers, a bit of sweetness courtesy of some seasonal fruit or preserves, and a couple of savoury options like charcuterie, olives or pickles are all you need, really.

Try: Spanish tapas platter recipe.

IT’S IN THE DETAILS

Let your cheeses come to room temperature about an hour before eating. Choose a board that allows each cheese a little breathing room, remove the wrappers, and assign each cheese its own knife (a butter knife is fine for soft, spreadable cheeses, while hard cheeses need a sharp knife).

Try: Sweet onion marmalade and goats cheese tartlets.

Discover more delicious ways with cheese here.