Ever wonder how cheese boards get dressed for spring?
These selections were carefully selected to form a complementary cheese board that hits the entire palate — bringing major flair and flavor to any table. Follow our guide to some of the best cheeses and pairings of the season. (If you’ve never tried pairing cheese with chocolate, you’re in for a treat.)
If you didn’t know cheese plates had seasons, use these handy cheese tips from our experts to put together a spring cheese board.
How to Choose the Cheeses
When building your spring cheese board, choose from a variety of milks, styles and textures. Here are a few of our favorite cheese picks.
Smooth & Complex
Our pick: Cypress Grove Lamb Chopper
Buttery, creamy, smooth sheep milk Gouda produced in Holland. Rich, nutty notes and a sweet finish, perfect for melting.
Balanced & Tangy
Our pick: Roth Buttermilk Blue
Creamy and balanced with developed tanginess classic to Wisconsin blue cheeses.
Creamy & Earthy
Our pick: Ashley Chase Estate Seaside Cheddar
Creamy and complex with classic notes of English cheddar cheeses and a rustic hint of earthiness.
Rich & Fresh
Our pick: Vermont Creamery Bonne Bouche
Crafted from hand-ladled milk, this young cheese shows pleasantly yeasty flavor with rich notes of fresh grass.
How to Pick the Pairings
Complementary nibbles can help bring out different nuances of the cheeses. Select something from each of these categories for a variety of textures and flavors.
Chocolatey
Our pick: Vosges Haut-Chocolat Roasted Walnut Pecan Caramel Marshmallows
Savory
Our pick: Trois Petits Cochons Organic Pâté de Campagne
How to Serve
Planning ahead has its rewards. Unwrap one hour before serving to allow for “breathing time,” opening up the cheese’s aromatics and nuances much like wine. Serve on a rustic board or natural stone. Label with tasting notes and compare with your own impressions.
How to Store
Should you find yourself with a wedge or two left on the board, save some for a second tasting. Rewrap it neatly in cheese paper (or waxed paper will do). That way the cheese can get some air. Store in the refrigerator, ideally between 40° and 50°F.
How We Can Help
At Whole Foods Market, we have 300+ Certified Cheese Professionals opens in a new tab in our stores — along with countless expert cheesemongers. And we’re constantly investing in our cheese smarts, so we’re at the forefront of what’s trending. In a nutshell, we eat, sleep and breathe cheese. (It’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it.) So ask us anything. We’re happy to answer any questions about your selections.
