How to Style a Cheese Board for the Holidays

A cheese board is the perfect thing to serve at your holiday get-togethers this year, but if you’re a bit of a novice in the hostess department, putting one together may seem like a daunting task. Lucky for us, Root Cellar Co. is here to share their top tips for styling a gorgeous cheese display that your party guests will definitely love!

Styled with fun finds from The Roc Shop – where you can snag the perfect stocking stuffers or hostess gifts this year – the display created is almost too pretty to eat. (We said almost!) Let’s let the team take it away…

From Marie of Root Cellar Co., The holidays are such an exciting time for celebration & festive foods. When building your cheese board go out to your local farmers market and see what is in season. Grab some hearty lettuces like purple kale or rainbow swiss chard. Play with the textures and colors. Use natures bounty to really set the stage and wow your guests.

Tip #1: Choose your Vessels. All of the fun begins with your selection of boards, stands, bowls and serving utensils. Since we all eat with our eyes first you want to make sure your guests have a variety of heights & textures to look at. As their eye bounces around each corner of your display the excitement grows.

First, place your tallest stand in the top left corner and taper off the height from there. This will create a cascading view for your ingredients. Add your little bowls at different heights as well. Place a few to the far right, maybe one lower to the left. You want your guests to move around your display.

Tip #2: Decorate with Greens. Use a variety of lettuces, kales, and hearty greens to fill in all the nooks and crannies. Wrap them around the edges and fill up any gaps. Now, drape your grapes over the edges and boards. Then add cut pomegranates, blood oranges or radishes for pops of color. Try to keep these items in their natural state. Cut them in half and leave the stems on. You want it to look as if you just pulled them from your garden.

Tip #3: Begin Adding in your Nosh + Nibbles. Use the bowls for messier items and then display out your cut fruits and meats in diagonal lines. How do you make pineapple look gourmet on a cheese board? Pair it with fresh blueberries. Mixing colors brings everything up a notch. I love popping in our Root Cellar Signature Pickles and herbs de provence marinated artichokes for a briny compliment to all the creamy cheese and sweet fruit.

Tip #4: Display Freshly Baked Bread on your Boards. Mmmm, bread. Now this is the good stuff. It’s all about variety. Look not only for flavor but color, texture, and fragrance. My favorites are olive, fresh sage & rosemary, and dutch crunch. Leave a loaf whole and then rip up the others and use them as a backdrop for all of your goodies. When its time to replenish, grab that full loaf and rip it up as you need it. Actively using your display will let your guests become a part of the action.

Tip #5: Add Your Cheese. Finally, once your scene is completely set you can bring out the star of the show. THE CHEESE! When choosing cheese I use the same principles in design. Getting a variety of colors, textures, and fragrances. Even for a small party get 3-5 different cheeses to place around. You can stretch your limits a little. Grab a gouda instead of a regular cheddar or go for a mild goat with a colorful rind. The sky really is the limit. Get to know your local cheese shop and ask what they love, try a few, this really is the best part.

All that’s left is to place your knives, spreaders & spoons. Then dig in!

We love these festive stir sticks from The Roc Shop.

Excited to whip up a cheese board this holiday season? Shop our favorite cheese boards + knives below!

photography: Plum + Oak Photography // venue name: Brick & Laurel Warehouse, La Mesa, California // cocktail accessories: The Roc Shop // cheese board styling: Root Cellar Co.