Struggling to come up with creative cheese board ideas for your delicious Real California cheese? We’ve got all the info you need – and plenty of stunning inspiration, too! 

There’s no wrong way to build a California cheese board. In our humble opinion, cheese boards are an art – and we all know that art is subjective. So, the first rule of cheese board creation is that there ARE no rules. Our goal isn’t to tell you exactly how to build your cheese board, but to share a few helpful tips and lots of amazing design inspiration. Let’s dig in!

The secret to success: Choose Real California Cheese

An impressive cheese board starts with really great cheese – like one made by the over 50 California artisan cheese makers in the state.

Well-known makers like Fiscalini and Cowgirl Creamery and local favorites like Hilmar Cheese and Bravo Farms create over 250 unique varieties and styles of Real California cheese. The question here isn’t why you should choose Real California Cheese…it’s why wouldn’t you. 

Not sure where to start? Check out a few great options (all from California, of course)!

Cheese board basics: Fresh produce, nuts and more 

First things first: what to include in your cheese board. Crackers and cured meats are great – but adding fresh fruit, vegetables, fresh herbs, nuts and dried fruit really brings a cheese board to life. California farmers grow over 400 different specialty crops, giving you no shortage of options and seasonal variations. Here are a few concepts to help guide your creation: 

What grows together goes together

If you’re a fan of California wines, you’ve probably heard of terroir — the idea that a region’s climate and landscape shape the flavor of what’s grown there.

That’s why local ingredients often pair so well together. Think caprese with fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and balsamic, or a mezze platter with braided Armenian string cheese, olives and peppers for something a little more adventurous. 

Pair like with like

Pairing similar flavors and textures is an easy way to create a cohesive cheese board. Think soft cheese – like brie – with soft, sun-ripened berries, or aged cheddar with candied walnuts. 

Opposites attract

Our taste buds only register five flavors: sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami. Pairing opposing flavors can yield surprisingly delicious results. Try salty Pepper Jack with sweet Honeycrisp apple slices or Gouda with grilled peaches.

Embrace a cheese board theme

One of the easiest ways to elevate your spread is to use themed cheese board ideas inspired by seasons, holidays or special events. It can be as simple as a color-inspired spread, a seasonal assortment showcasing fresh produce, or a thoughtfully curated board inspired by a holiday or sporting event.

Celebrate Seasonality

We’re all about eating seasonally – and our cheese boards are no exception! Here’s how to use colors, texture and – of course – produce to build a beautiful cheese board that celebrates seasonality! 

Show your true colors

Colors make a big impact on your cheese board. Maybe you want to stick to a few colors, or follow a strictly pastel palette for a spring-inspired board. How you use those colors can be powerful, too. Pops of color can be impactful, but a tonal gradient also adds visual interest. 

For the record: yes, we are willing to accept “rainbow” as a color theme (Sarah, our resident cheese board expert, might disown us if we didn’t). 

Let the event inspire you

Holidays and sporting events are all about bringing people together, and the perfect inspiration for a shareable cheese board. Keep it simple with a red, white and blue spread for the Fourth of July, or get playful with a World Cup-inspired cheese plate featuring cantaloupes as “goals” and mini mozzarella balls as “players.”

Pairing California wine + cheese

Pairing wine and cheese can feel intimidating – but don’t let that deter you. Crisp white wines are often a great starting point – they’re typically a little easier to pair with cheese. However, once you start building confidence in your pairings, test out a few bolder choices – like aged blue cheese and port. Once again, it’s important to note that there is no right or wrong pairing. If you like it, it works. Full stop.

Looking for the Cliff Notes?

Our friends at California Wines shared suggestions of cheese that pair beautifully with popular wines like Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Interested in digging deeper? Our friend Sarah takes a deeper dive into how to predict which wines and cheeses pair best together.

If all else fails, remember the golden (wine pairing) rule: Sparkling wine works with every cheese and for every occasion. 

“Carcuterie”: Charcuterie platter to-go

Here in California, there’s so much to explore. If you’re ready to hit the road, pack a “carcuterie” board loaded with healthy snack food! Since the whole point of a carcuterie board is to have easy-to-eat snacks while driving, creating the perfect carcuterie board is a little more complicated than simply slapping a lid (or plastic wrap….cringe) onto your typical cheese tray. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Put a lid on it

Choose a cheese board with a snap-on lid and handles to keep all your goodies from decorating the floor (or seat) of your car

Grab and go prep tips

Pre-cut your cheeses, seasonal fruits and veggies into slices or bite-sized chunks.

Make sure everything is edible: Cut the stems off strawberries, remove the pit from olives or dates and choose shelled nuts. 

​Skip any seasonal fruit or types of cheese that won’t last well at room temperature. 

Sticky fingers and steering wheels are not friends. It’s also best to avoid stinky cheeses and anything like cherries or raspberries that will stain your fingers.

Keep things clean

Wet wipes, hand sanitizer, paper towels, compostable forks or picks (if you don’t want to get your hands dirty in the first place), and trash bags will keep your car from turning into the Foster Farms chicken mobile (if you know, you know).

Elevate your cheese board

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with grabbing every bit of California-grown goodness you need to create your cheese board from the grocery store and calling it a day. However, if you’re feeling fancy, homemade crackers, pickled vegetables, roasted nuts, jams and sauces truly take your cheese board to the next level. 

Think outside the box

Remember the rule about how there aren’t any cheese board rules? That gives you permission to really think outside the box. Love dark chocolate? Skip the savory ingredients altogether and create a dessert charcuterie board. Want to show off your grill? Try grilling cheese on a cedar plank. Or think completely outside the box and transform classic cheese board ingredients into something unexpected, like charcuterie nachos.

Feeling inspired? We can’t wait to see your epic cheese board ideas come to life. Snap a photo and share it on social using #cagrown. With California Grown ingredients and Real California cheese, it’s virtually impossible for your cheese board to be anything but delicious. 

Article by Hilary Rance. Photography by James Collier, Meg van der Kruik, Sarah Gim and Alison Needham.