To go out or not to go out… that is the question! And we’ve made the answer much easier with four of our best wine and Roth cheese pairings for a romantic date night in.
Even better, create a cheeseboard for a taste-as-you-go activity you can enjoy right from the comfort of your couch. Just add our suggested pairings (below), crackers, fresh fruit, nuts, and anything else you love. Featuring our Gouda, Grand Cru®, Havarti, and Buttermilk Blue® cheeses.
Gouda & Champagne
Mellow and mild Gouda has a creamy texture that pairs well with Champagne bubbles. Add a touch of sweetness by including dark chocolate and orange slices or dried mango. Not a fan of Champagne? Other bubbly wines, like a dry Prosecco or Cava, are great too!
Grand Cru® & Sauvignon Blanc
Our signature alpine-style Grand Cru® is nutty and full-bodied, making it the perfect match for a grassy yet zingy Sauvignon Blanc. Candied nuts, milk chocolate, and orange slices are well-balanced complements to the cheese and white wine.
Havarti & Malbec
A dry red wine like Malbec pairs wonderfully with our super creamy and buttery Havarti cheese. Add dark coffee chocolate to the plate for a surprisingly harmonious flavor trio. A few red-hued crackers add a visually romantic and festive touch.
Buttermilk Blue® & Rosé
Our creamy and tangy Buttermilk Blue® complements a dry Rosé like no other! Add in a few sea salt dark chocolates, and your partner will be seriously wowed. For those a bit hesitant on blue cheese, add a drizzle of honey to help cut the sharp flavor.
Pairings & photography brought to you by our pal Bev Cooks.
New Year’s Eve Cheese Plates for Two: Ring in the new year with Grand Cru®- and Grand Cru® Reserve-inspired cheese plates, and sip pear martinis in the comfort of your own home.
Years of working in the restaurant industry, having small kids, coupled with a husband that usually has New Year’s Eve duty has cured me of wanting to ever go out for New Year’s Eve again.
I’ve been there, done that, and much prefer to celebrate the new year with my people, on my couch in front of my fireplace with a movie or a game than fight crowds. And honestly, I don’t want to get dressed up. I’ll wear my fancy joggers for my couch date, but that’s about it these days.
It’s not to say that I don’t make it a special occasion, I do. When the kids were younger (before they had their own NYE plans) we would have raclette as a family. If you have never had it, it’s similar to fondue, but with a little tabletop grill/broiler. It’s so much fun. It takes a long time and we would talk for hours and I loved it.
Now, the kids are either out or are doing their own thing. So my husband Wes and I have a grown-up, yet low-key, New Year’s together.
More often than not, I skip making a full dinner and instead opt for an appetizer/heavy snack/dessert situation. It’s really our favorite way to eat. I buy fancy desserts from a bakery, make a really beautiful cheese plate, and maybe a new appetizer recipe I’ve been wanting to try.
And of course, we sip a festive cocktail while indulging! It’s honestly a romantic and lovely way to spend an evening.
Instead of making a really big cheese board, I was inspired by the cheese plates you can order at restaurants. They are made for one or two people and are often so beautifully plated they look like art.
You know I love my Roth cheese and Grand Cru® is my husband’s favorite, so it’s no surprise that they are heavily featured on these plates. Like all of my cheese boards, I use three to five cheeses that are different in texture and flavor but arrange them differently to utilize the more petite plates
I used both Original Grand Cru® and aged Grand Cru® Reserve. Grand Cru® is an alpine-style cheese that is nutty and creamy. Grand Cru® Reserve is hand-selected wheels of Grand Cru® that are aged for more than six months. It results in a bolder and more savory-flavored cheese. It’s delicious. Buttermilk Blue® is creamy, which is a nice contrast to the Grand Cru® and is tangy, but mellow. To round it out, I added Smoked Gouda. I love the creaminess paired with the smoky notes in this cheese.
Both kinds of cheese pair so well with apples and pears, so that was my inspiration for the pear martini. I didn’t want to make a really heavy cocktail that would overpower the cheese, but I did want it to compliment the flavors. I am really happy with how they tasted together.
If you want to pair your Grand Cru® but do not want a pear martini, try an amber beer or hard cider. They will work beautifully together.
How to Make a New Year’s Eve Cheese Plate for Two //
You can make one larger cheese plate, but I liked the idea of individual cheese plates. It made it feel special, but feel free to make one if you like.
1. Grab two pretty plates. It’s a fancy celebration, so grab the china or special occasion dishes. 2. Arrange cheese. I really wanted this to be a beautiful presentation so I wanted this to look like a plated dish from a restaurant. 3. Fill in gaps with fruit, jam, and nuts. Apples and Grand Cru® are a natural pairing or Smoked Gouda and nuts. 4. Slice a baguette and add crackers. 5. Serve with a pear martini.
How to Make a Pear Martini //
I feel so elegant when I am drinking a cocktail. It feels special and festive and indulgent, but it really is simple to make. You can purchase pear vodka from your favorite liquor store (or if you are in New England, your local packie) or make your own.
DIRECTIONS:
1 ½ ounces pear flavored vodka ¼ cup pear juice* Squeeze lime juice Garnish with pear slices
*Can substitute apple if desired
Add pear-flavored vodka, pear juice, and lime juice to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a glass. Pour into a martini glass or serve in a cocktail glass over ice. Garnish with pear slices.
To make your own pear-flavored vodka, add a 750mL bottle of vodka to a large container with a tight-fitting lid. Add 5 sliced pears. Store in a dark place for 4 to 5 days. Remove the pears and enjoy.
Variations on a Pear Martini //
Use spiced pear vodka. To make a spiced pear vodka, add a few cinnamon sticks, crushed cardamom pods, and a slice of ginger. It will alter the color of your vodka, turning it brown, but it will still be delicious.
In place of pear, feel free to use apple. Use plain vodka, make an apple vodka, or any vodka flavor you like, and replace pear juice with apple cider.
New Year’s Eve Traditions and Ideas //
If you are spending the evening at home, it doesn’t mean that you can’t be fun and festive. You can plan some activities or start a new tradition. You don’t even need to stay until midnight unless you want to.
Set an intention for the year. Take a few minutes and write down what you want the year to look like, feel like, and how to want to go through the new year.
Light a sparkler at midnight. Is there anything more festive than a sparkler? They don’t smell great, and you need to do this outside, but I really love lighting them on New Year’s.
Play a board game or cards. My husband and I play Rummy 500 almost every night. We are very competitive and love connecting and talking about our day over a deck of cards. Yahtzee, Scrabble, Battleship, or Chess.
Buy a deck of conversation starters. Table Topics is a great one with so many different topics to choose from. I’ve learned so much this year about my husband of almost 20 years doing this. And I thought I knew everything about him already!
Make something. Paint, draw, do a craft. It sounds cheesy, but buy a kit for both of you. Tap into your creativity and use your hands.
Start a bucket list. Each person lists a few things they want to do in their lifetime.
Look through your photo album and reminisce over the past year. Even better, print them out or make a photo album. There are lots of great apps and services that make it easy to do right from your phone.
In Spain, everyone eats 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight. It is said to protect you from evil spirits and happiness and prosperity in the new year. Make sure to put some grapes on your cheese plate.
Whatever you decide to do, I hope that you have a safe and happy New Year.
The Ultimate Guide to Holiday Entertaining with Cheese: Which cheeses to buy, how much cheese to buy, how to serve cheese, ways to use cheese, and festive recipe ideas for holiday entertaining.
Whether I’m entertaining a crowd or serving my family a simple holiday meal, you know cheese is going to be involved. Cheese is one of the most versatile and easy-to-use ingredients available. It can be served on its own, shredded, melted, whipped… cheese can do anything!
If you are new to cooking or entertaining, you probably have some questions about cheese. Consider this your go-to cheese resource for the holidays.
How to Buy Cheese //
Ask yourself, what are you buying cheese for?Are you going to be cooking with it? Is it going to be melted or crumbled on top of something? Is it for snacking or a cheeseboard? Knowing what the intended purpose is will guide you in choosing the right varieties.
How many people are you feeding this cheese to?Is it for a recipe? If so, you need to buy enough for the quantity listed in the recipe. Is it for a cheeseboard? Then 1 to 2 ounces per person is enough.
What do you like to eat? Do you like soft cheeses or brine-y cheeses? Hard cheeses? Cheeses made from cow’s milk or goat’s milk? Try buying a few different ones and see what you like about them. If you like Monterey Jack, for example, try Havarti. They are similar in texture, but you might find the flavor of Havarti is more buttery and smooth.
Try something new. Try buying a new variety of cheese each week or month. Buy a small portion and give it a go! Keep a list in the Notes app of your phone of brands and/or varieties you have liked. I do this when I eat a cheese in a restaurant I haven’t tried before and like. (Same with wines.)
Make friends with the person behind the cheese counter. Whether it is a dedicated cheese shop or the person behind the specialty cheese counter, they are a wealth of information and knowledge about cheese. I often go to them for advice. Often they will let you sample before you buy. They are great for pairing ideas as well — like what to pair on a cheeseboard or what wine to drink with the cheese you selected.
Read the package. Every package of Roth cheese lists tasting notes and/or pairing ideas. For instance, for Grand Cru®, it tells me it is an excellent melting cheese and pairs well with fig jam and riesling wine. It also tells me it is creamy, nutty, and has been aged 4+ months. That’s super helpful!
Just buy a little bit. If you are entertaining, buy a lot of cheese — everyone loves it! But if it is just for snacking at home by yourself, buy small quantities at a time. This way it stays fresh.
Quality over quantity. Cheese can be expensive, but a little high-quality cheese goes a long way. If you are able to, buy what you can afford. And take advantage of the off-cuts bin, where you can often find small pieces of Roth cheese for less.
Ways to Serve Cheese //
The possibilities of how to serve cheese are endless. Cheese is incredibly versatile. You can slice it, shave it, shred it, grate it, crumble it, melt it, whip it, fry it, or just eat it straight out of the package.
Need some more ideas? I’ve got you.
Morning cheese. Add shredded or crumbled cheese to biscuits, muffins, egg dishes, even savory pancakes or waffles. How good does an apple and Grand Cru® waffle sound?
Add to salads. Crumble goat cheese, blue cheese, or Aged Gouda into your salad. These cheeses boast big flavor, so a little goes a long way. Even the non-salad eaters have a hard time saying no to a salad with cheese in it.
Casseroles. Is there anything sexier than a bubbly, cheesy, golden top on a comfy casserole? One of my favorite things on Earth is the burnt crispy cheese that falls off the side of a casserole. It’s really hard to beat. Havarti or Gouda are great choices for this.
Make a cheese sauce. Melt shredded cheese into a white Béchamel sauce and pour over roasted vegetables. Or stir it into pasta to create a decadent mac and cheese. Or make homemade queso for nachos.
Crisps. Mound grated hard or semi-hard cheeses like Grand Cru®, or Canela on a parchment- or silicone-lined baking sheet. Melt in a hot oven until golden, then let cool for at least 5 minutes to crisp up.
Crumble. Crumble fresh Chèvre over a taco. Or Buttermilk Blue® cheese over some sautéed green beans!
Make a cheeseboard!Meats and cheeses and jams and nuts all on the same plate? Yes please.
Use it in desserts… or as dessert! Yes, you read that right. Goat cheese cheesecake, baked into pies (we love Gouda & pecan pie), a small cheese plate after dinner, or a plated cheese course. (We had a plated cheese course at our wedding, and it was my favorite detail of the entire meal.)
Now that we know how we can use cheese (I didn’t even scratch the surface!), let’s talk about how to serve cheese.
Serve at room temperature. Cheese for eating is best served at room temperature. Take it out at least 30 minutes before you are planning on serving it.
Arrange on a cheeseboard. Obviously a personal favorite. Check out this guide for helpful holiday cheeseboard tips!
Serving a crowd? Make a grazing table. People will ooh and ahh to find an oversized spread like that at your event. Or make a few different boards and place them around the room so people can mingle and everyone won’t stand in the same place.
Having kids over? Make a kid’s cheeseboard. It’s funny, I used to do this when my children were little and the adults would eat the Goldfish crackers and kids’ snacks, and hover over the kid’s plate. So now I just add the same stuff to the “adult’s” board.
How much cheese per person? You can assume someone will eat 1 to 2 ounces of cheese on a cheeseboard. If you’re expecting a gathering of crazy cheese lovers, double that amount.
How to store leftover cheese? Take the cheese out of its original packaging and wrap it in cheese paper or parchment paper. Put the wrapped cheese in a large zip-top bag, squeeze out the excess air, and keep it in the fridge until next time. Here are more tips for storing cheese.
Label. When you put out cheese for guests, label it! You can buy cheese tags or just stick a small card with the name of the cheese into the board. They might even put a note about their favorite cheese on their phone.
Vary the way you serve cheese. Keep some wedges whole, slice some into triangles, cut some into smaller wedges, and/or crumble hard cheeses into chunks. More tips on cutting here.
Try a one cheese tasting board.Like blue cheese? Buy a few varieties. A mellow blue like Buttermilk Blue® is interesting to compare side-by-side with Moody Blue, a smoked blue cheese, and a Gorgonzola. Taste them all to see how they are similar and different.
Limit to 5. It’s a fun idea to put 10 kinds of cheese on a board, but it will be a) expensive and b) overwhelming. Serve different varieties with different flavors, textures, and kinds of milk, but keep it to five, tops.
Shredding cheese? The bagged stuff is great in a pinch, but shredding and grating your own cheese is a game-changer. You will be able to use quality cheese without any additives. Freeze your cheese for 15 minutes before shredding, then use a food processor or mixer attachment.
Utensils. Give each cheese its own utensil. You don’t want someone to cut into the Garlic Herb Chèvre, then use the same knife to cut Jalapeño Havarti. Each variety should have its own utensil, so flavors don’t get crossed
Hint: A set of cheese knives makes a great hostess gift.
Pair it with something delicious to drink. Wine and cheese are the most obvious pairing. But hard ciders are so good with alpine-style cheeses like Grand Cru® or a cocktail made with fall fruits (try our favorite seasonal pairings here. Not sure what to drink with your cheese? Ask the person behind the cheese counter!
As you can see, cheese is one of the most versatile and adaptable foods around. If you have cheese, you have a meal at the ready all throughout the holiday season.
Building a beautiful cheeseboard that’s worthy of the holidays can seem like a daunting task, especially when you’re the one hosting. However, we’re taking the guesswork out of the board-building process with a step-by-step guide complete with photos, and helpful tips & strategies to ensure all your holiday cheeseboards sparkle.
Step 1: The Cheeses
Choose 2 to 4 kinds of cheese with a variety of flavors and textures—we’re using our tangy Buttermilk Blue®, nutty Grand Cru®, and Cranberry Cinnamon Chèvre. Place your cheeses on a large board or platter, spacing them evenly throughout. Tip: Variation in the cut of the cheese (wedge vs. triangles vs. medallions) helps augment visual appeal.
Step 2: The Carbs
Next, we need carbs! Think breads, crackers, cookies, and more. We took the festive route including panettone (a traditional Italian sweet bread studded with raisins & citrus) and a few crispy gingerbread cookies. Place these along the edge and/or near their best pairings (i.e. gingerbread works perfectly with the seasonal Chèvre flavor).
Step 3: The Fresh Stuff
Now, fresh fruits and veggies! If you’re unsure which ones to choose, think in COLORS. This cheeseboard feels extra merry because we’re using reds and greens across the board—grapes, pomegranate, and green olives. This mix of sweet & savory produce also pairs wonderfully with cheese and keeps the board well-balanced.
Step 4: The Optionals
Cured meats, nuts & seeds, and pickles are some of our favorite cheeseboard nibbles. We’ve added folded slices of coppa (an Italian dry-cured pork), and candied nut clusters. If you’ve got nut allergies or vegetarians at your gathering, simply serve these in separate dishes off the board.
Step 5: The Sweets
It’s not the holidays without a few sweet treats, and we’re going all out! Candied ginger, homemade caramels, stroopwafels (Dutch caramel wafers), shortbread stars… anything goes. We also love adding chocolate of any kind to holiday boards—chocolate bars, chocolate truffles, sea salt caramels, etc.
Step 6: The Condiments
The second-to-final step: add your condiments. Jams, mustards, honey, chutneys, and aiolis in small bowls help fill in the gaps on your cheeseboard. For an overflowingly abundant board, tuck additional items—such as raspberries and prosciutto—to ensure no empty spaces remain.
And THE FINAL STEP: garnish the board and serving table with rosemary sprigs, mini holiday decorations, and of course, many festive holiday cocktails! Eat, drink, and be cheesy (err…merry?). 🎅
How to Build A Holiday Pantry Cheeseboard! Create a showstopping holiday cheeseboard with delicious Roth cheeses by shopping your pantry. We’ll show you what to buy to have a beautiful and balanced board in no time.
I can make different appetizers with puff pastry and dips, and spend ages making unique things to nibble on, but everyone gravitates to the cheeseboard. (I’m not hating on things in puff pastry or a dip – there is a time and place for sure.) Maybe it’s because a cheeseboard just looks so welcoming and inviting?
These days, I often skip making traditional appetizers and only serve a cheeseboard or grazing table. Especially during the busy holiday season, who has time for anything else?
A secret about a holiday cheeseboard is that it takes very little effort on your part. Having a well-stocked holiday pantry makes it easy to create a gorgeous board like this one in no time. It doesn’t take a lot to make a board seem abundant, overflowing, interesting, and seasonal. Just some strategic shopping and you are good to go!
What Kind of Cheese Do I Put on a Holiday Cheeseboard? //
If you have been to a cheese shop or grocery store lately, then you know there are many incredible cheeses to choose from. I think it can be overwhelming, especially if you are new to cooking and entertaining. There are often HUNDREDS of varieties in the cheese case.
There are no hard and fast rules for choosing cheese for a board. Anything goes really, but what I think works best is a variety of flavors and textures. I tend to make sure I have something for everyone on each board I create.
My biggest piece of advice is to put cheeses that you like to eat on the board. If you don’t know what you like, try a new cheese each time you go to the grocery store. Bring home a small portion and see what you like about it. Is it creamy? Is it hard or soft? Do you love Chèvre? Do you love Aged Gouda?
When in doubt, ask the person at the cheese counter what they like or what they recommend. I do this almost every time I buy cheese from a specialty shop or specialty cheese section. Cheese people are passionate about their products.
Often, they will let you sample before purchasing. I often say, “I have alpine-style Grand Cru® and Gouda, what else should I include?” and they will have great suggestions and advice for you.
Hard cheeses: This can be Aged Gouda, Sharp Cheddar, Canela. These cheeses are typically very savory and bold. They often crumble and have a unique texture. They usually have a rind you cannot eat, but save it and add the rind to soups or stews to add another layer of flavor.
Semi-hard cheeses: These cheeses are often aged, but softer than hard cheeses. Grand Cru® is my go-to (and my husband’s favorite cheese) and on every cheeseboard I make. It’s alpine-style, mellow, and just looks beautiful sliced into triangles.
Crumbly or soft cheeses: These are cheeses you can typically spread on a cracker, like Chèvre goat cheese.These cheeses are creamy, typically mild, and moist. (Don’t hate me for using that word, but they are kind of wet.) They’re very distinct in flavor, fresh and milky. I like to add Plain Chèvre to my cheeseboards because I often will roll it in dried fruits or herbs for color to bring my palette together.
Blue cheeses: I put these in a category of their own. Blue cheeses are soft, but I find they are either something you like or don’t like. I happen to love blue cheese and Buttermilk Blue® is mild enough for even people that swear they don’t like blue cheese. This is a bold, distinctly-flavored cheese. I like to spread it on a piece of bread with a drizzle of honey.
Wild card: This is where you can really go crazy. A stinky cheese, holiday-flavored cheese, a new variety — something completely unique and different. Let your guests experience something FUN. This is also where I rely on the help of the person selling cheese. Ask them for a recommendation for a wild card and they will deliver.
How Much Cheese to Buy For A Holiday Cheeseboard? //
When you buy the bags of cheese, they add starch to the bag to keep the shreds from sticking together and they just don’t melt the same sexy way that cheese you shred yourself does. It makes a huge difference in the end result.
What I Keep Stocked In My Holiday Pantry //
I’m going to confess to something that I am both embarrassed and proud of: I have a cabinet in my laundry room that is strictly my cheeseboard-making pantry.
I keep my cheese board pantry stocked with nuts, pickles, olives, dried fruits, crackers, mustards, seasonal things, jams, jellies, honey, anything that I see when I am shopping that I think will look or taste great with cheese.
When we lived in Europe, I did not buy typical souvenirs. I would go to a local grocery store and buy fun and unique things that I couldn’t get anywhere else or that the region was known for. I have holiday jellies from France and preserved lemons from Morocco and Marcona almonds from Spain and honey from Slovenia. It makes me so happy to pull them off the shelf and use them and think about where they came from.
I loved coming home from our travels and continuing the adventure on my plate. I don’t live in Europe anymore, but I still get delighted to find fun things while shopping.
Being able to shop my well-stocked (ok, fine, OVERFLOWING) pantry allows me to create a cheeseboard whenever I am feeling inspired — whether that is to have a movie-watching couch date on a Wednesday or a full-blown holiday gathering. I can go to that cabinet and pick and choose things to make my board festive, inviting, and interesting.
Along with the idea that cheeses should be different textures and flavors, I think everything else on the board should be as well. Sweet with salty, crunchy with soft, you get the idea.
Candied nuts Dried fruit Candies Chocolate Caramels Kettle corn
Fresh things to add:
Prosciutto Herbs Fruit Vegetables Baguette
Festive & Seasonal:
Decorated cookies Seasonal chutney/jams Spiced items Seasonal garnishes (think seasonal serving pieces like mini ornaments or glittery mini trees) Mini cupcakes Seasonal breads, like pumpkin or cranberry orange
Serving Pieces:
Parchment paper Rimmed platters Large plates Cheese knives Small bowls Spoons, picks, and forks
TIP: Line your boards or platters with parchment — this makes clean up so much easier.
You do not need to have everything on this list, but having one or two things from each category will allow you to make a beautiful, well-balanced, festive cheeseboard whenever the mood strikes.
Creating a holiday cheeseboard doesn’t have to be difficult. By having a well-stocked pantry and delicious Roth cheese, you will be able to serve your guests at a moment’s notice.
If you need some help styling your board, check out this post. I share all of my best tips for making a board that tastes AND looks amazing.
It’s always fun to delight guests with a touch of the unexpected during the holidays. Pairing cheese with pie is a perfect way to do just that. Adding slices of cheese (and other small, sweet treats) to a pie-laden plate elevates dessert into an interactive mini tasting.
Cheese and pie may seem like an unlikely duo, but cheese adds a special, savory bite that keeps pie from being too sweet. Here are four of our favorite pairings — perfect for Thanksgiving and all through the holiday season.
Grand Cru® & Apple Pie
Everyone’s heard of cheddar and apple pie, but swapping in our alpine-style Grand Cru® is a must. It adds a mild, nutty flavor that contrasts perfectly with the tart, sweet apples and flaky, buttery crust.
Cranberry Cinnamon Chèvre & Pumpkin Pie
Our seasonal Cranberry Cinnamon Chèvre (at Walmart Supercenters nationwide) is pumpkin pie’s perfect pair. The cranberries add a welcome jolt of acidity, while the cinnamon in both foods ensure a festive-tasting bite.
Original or Smoked Gouda & Pecan Pie
Our Gouda is sweet and creamy, while pecan pie is caramel-y and nutty — the two together are simply meant to be. If you want to up the ante, try our Smoked Gouda with the pie for a uniquely savory-sweet pairing.
Cinnamon Chèvre & Lemon Tart
A lemon tart is a classic, year-round dessert that requires a festive touch for the holidays. Enter in: Cranberry Chèvre goat cheese (available at Imperfect Foods). Together, lemon and cranberry are tart-sweet, and a few slices of our seasonal Chèvre add a needed earthy, savory balance.
How to make a baked potato bar for an easy weeknight meal featuring Roth Grand Cru® — what to serve and how to keep your baked potatoes warm for a baked potato buffet.
Busy nights call for easy meals. You know the busy nights I am talking about, when your whole family is coming and going and everyone walks into the house borderline HANGRY. This time of year is BUSY. Between school, sports, appointments, long days at work — there is a lot going on.
One thing that I have been doing more and more is a bar-style meal. Where you make a main item and leave out lots of things to customize your individual dish. This is great for my family because we have some vegetarians and some meat-eaters and everyone leaves the table satisfied.
Think taco bar, DIY burrito bowls, make your own pizza, and a personal family favorite — the baked potato bar.
My kids all love baked potatoes and this is an excellent way to turn a side dish into a meal. We add pulled pork or shredded buffalo chicken, bacon, veggies, LOTS of shredded Roth cheese, sour cream, sautéed peppers and onions, chili, pretty much anything you can think of — it can go into a potato.
It’s also quick to get on the table. If my afternoon is busy, I can prep this in the morning or while I am cooking another meal. I do this a lot if I am already cooking something and doing a lot of chopping, etc. I do it for two meals – a couple of extra minutes saves me so much clean up and prep time later. Future me is always grateful.
A baked potato bar is great for a weeknight meal, but it’s also an inexpensive way to entertain. This is great for a kid’s party, a team dinner before race day, or for watching a football game.
How to Make Baked Potatoes //
I know that you are probably thinking that baked potatoes are not a quick thing to make. And you are correct, they do take a long time to bake, but you don’t have to do it in the oven, and once they are in the oven, it’s hands-off.
More often than not, I bake potatoes in the oven. I wash them really well, dry them, prick them with a fork, coat them in oil and salt, and then bake them in a 375° F oven for 70 to 90 minutes. The skins are crisp and are perfectly seasoned.
If you would like to cut the cooking time in half, you can slice the potatoes and place them slice side down on an oiled sheet pan.
(Alternatively, you can use small potatoes like fingerlings and do a roasted potato bar. I really like this option when I want a few different toppings and don’t want to eat one big potato, I can make two or three mini options.)
Another way to cook them is in your slow cooker. Do the same as above, then wash, prick, oil, and salt the potatoes, but also wrap them in foil. Slow cook on HIGH for 4.5 to 5 hours or on LOW for 7.5 to 8 hours, or until the potatoes are tender and cooked through.
Which Toppings to Include //
The sky is literally the limit as to what to include as a topping for your baked potato bar. Take inventory of what is in your fridge and freezer, and it’s fair game for a baked potato. A potato is a blank canvas that is begging to be topped with delicious things.
Sure, a baked potato with a generous pat of butter and salt is delicious, but we can do better than that!
Cheese // Is there anything better and melty, gooey, cheese on a piping hot potato? I honestly don’t think there is. I used to buy the bags of pre-shredded cheese, but I am a convert to shredding my cheeses myself.
When you buy the bags of cheese, they add starch to the bag to keep the shreds from sticking together and they just don’t melt the same sexy way that cheese you shred yourself does. It makes a huge difference in the end result.
You also have total control over the kind and quality of cheese you use. (You know I love my Roth cheese, especially their alpine-style Grand Cru®.) When you shred the cheese yourself, you can use all of your favorites and choose varieties you might not always think of.
TIP: This cheese shredder attachment has been a game-changer when it comes to shredding cheese. I use it ALL the time. I also use the shredding disc on my food processor. Freeze your cheese for 15 minutes before shredding. It keeps the cheese from clumping and easier to get through the machine.
Cheese // I always have a ton of different kinds of cheese in my fridge. Creamy, sharp, soft, bold, I like to keep a good variety in my fridge. I love cheese and want to try as many kinds as I can. For a baked potato bar, I like to have a few different kinds to add different flavor profiles and textures to our potatoes.
Grand Cru® goes well with so many things. It’s an amazingly delicious cheese that is good in so many things. It’s slightly sweet, melts like a dream, and is a great all-around option for just about anything you want to melt cheese on. I love it melted in a potato with sautéed onions and peppers. This is my #1 choice for a loaded baked potato.
The inspiration for this potato bar was our New Year’s Eve raclette, and Grand Cru® is the star of that show over roasted potatoes and slices of baguette. Add a few slices of apples… **chef’s kiss**
Buttermilk Blue® adds a bold pop of flavor. Buttermilk Blue® crumbles are great for a baked potato bar because you simply open the container and add a huge amount of flavor to your baked potato. A buffalo chicken baked potato with carrots, celery, green onion, and a generous amount of blue cheese and shredded Grand Cru® is my little guy’s potato of choice.
Chèvre goat cheese is perhaps not the first cheese you would think of for a baked potato, but trust me when I say it works perfectly. It adds fresh, sharp, flavor and I like to make a very loose version of street corn with it. Corn, guacamole, roasted tomatoes, bacon, and Chèvre. Delicious!
Gouda is one of my all-time favorite cheeses. It’s mellow and creamy and melts so beautifully. Lots of shredded Gouda, bacon, green onions, sour cream, and a generous amount of black pepper.
Dill Havarti rounds out my delicious cheese selection. Another amazing melting cheese, it’s super creamy and I love the hit of dill. (I think that dill is underused and under-appreciated.) This one is my go-to for a vegetable potato. Roasted broccoli, spinach, onions and peppers, TONS of Dill Havarti, and a generous dollop of sour cream.
Sour Cream // A big bowl of cool sour cream is always a good idea, but it is a MUST for a baked potato. I also will add a bowl of garlic herb sour cream too.
Meats // Can you have a loaded potato without bacon? I didn’t think so either. I always have some pulled pork in my freezer and it is INCREDIBLE in a baked potato. For this potato bar, I bought a rotisserie chicken and tossed it with some buffalo sauce. Chili, taco beef, sloppy joe, pepperoni, ham, sausage. Any protein works.
Vegetables // I like to air fry some broccoli, as it crisps up and stays bright green. Sautéed onion and peppers, diced tomatoes, avocado, corn, sautéed mushrooms, spinach, green onion, roasted garlic, chives, sliced jalapeños. This adds color and crunch.
TIP: Check out the salad or mezze bar at your local grocery store. This is a great way to save time and get to try some new things. I bought the roasted tomatoes and garlic when I grabbed the rotisserie chicken.
Extras // Butter, salsa, pizza sauce, ranch, barbecue sauce, sea salt flakes, herbs, red pepper flakes, anything that adds flavor and interest to your potato.
Essentially anything you can think of belongs in a potato, so get creative and make your own delicious combinations.
How to Set Up Your Baked Potato Bar //
01. Bake your potatoes using your desired method. Whether you make oven-baked potatoes or slow cooker potatoes, make a few extra for leftovers.
02. Prepare your toppings. Shred your cheese, warm your cheese sauce, set out your toppings in bowls or on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment for easy cleanup. I set mine out on my kitchen counter in an assembly line so that everyone can grab a plate and utensils and get busy customizing their potatoes.
03. Assemble! Add toppings and get creative! I like to add cheese to the bottom and the top for maximum gooey meltiness.
TIP: Cut your potato in half and make two different kinds to maximize textures and flavors. Discover a new favorite combination!
How to Keep The Potatoes Warm //
If I need to hold my potatoes and keep them warm, I will keep them in a 200° F oven on a sheet pan until I need them. You can also keep already baked potatoes warm on the LOW setting in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With A Baked Potato Bar //
You don’t really need to serve anything else, a loaded baked potato is a meal in its own right, but I do like to serve some other things if I am serving this for a crowd. And obviously serve dessert. 🙂
Award-winning Roth Grand Cru® has a new look that’s as Swiss-inspired as its taste. Your favorite cheese is still made the same way you know and love, but now in a BLOCK shape for easier shredding, slicing, cheeseboarding, snacking, and cooking.
Want some inspired ideas for how to use this mild, nutty alpine-style cheese? We’ve got you covered with our favorite pairings and recipes for both versions — our Grand Cru® Original and aged Grand Cru® Reserve!
Grand Cru® Original
Cheeseboard Pairings:
Pair Grand Cru® with fresh apples, figs, pears, and grapes. Add in almonds, crackers, and salty prosciutto (or other cured meats) to tie it together. Once your board is complete, enjoy with a hard cider or golden amber beer. If you prefer a simpler snack option, choose two or three of your favorite pairings listed above, and create a custom snack plate for one.
Recipe Ideas:
If you’re looking to elevate your meals, Grand Cru® is perfect for adding to sandwiches & paninis, melting over potatoes, and topping classic French onion soup. If you want to take your cooking a step further, try these delicious Grand Cru® recipes: Cheesy Chicken Kale Orzo and Chicken Broccoli Casserole.
Grand Cru® Reserve
Cheeseboard Pairings:
Grand Cru® Reserve is aged for a total of more than six months! This extra aging time gives it a more robust, intense flavor which pairs wonderfully on a cheeseboard with fruit jam, mostarda (an Italian condiment made from fruit, syrup, and spices), and apricots (fresh, dried, or preserved). Round out this bold flavor experience with a glass of Riesling, Bock beer, or IPA.
Recipe Ideas:
Like Original, Grand Cru® Reserve enhances the flavor of anything it’s paired with. Sprinkle into omelets, frittatas, quiches, and mac & cheese for tangy, rich bite or, if you’re looking for something new, try one of these recipes: Fig Flatbread en Croute and Alpine Asparagus Rolls.
How to assemble the perfect fall cheese board! My Sweet and Savory Fall Cheeseboard has fall flavors, colors, and is perfect for any autumn event.
Is that the crisp smell of fall in the air? Are you seeing back to school photos all over social media? Is the cozy hoodie/sweater in the back of your closet beckoning to you? Are you craving a PSL and fighting the urge to buy a pumpkin?
Me. Too.
I’m ready to have some normalcy and routine in my life right now. This summer was a literal wash out. We had an entire month of rain and it did not put me in a festive summer mood. Here in New England, we’ve already had some fall-like days and I am HERE FOR IT.
With all things fall on my mind, I created a Sweet and Savory Fall Cheeseboard featuring my favorite Roth Cheeses. I created this with fall colors, fall flavors, and cozy fall vibes in mind. I loved creating it and I especially loved eating it.
While gatherings might be smaller this fall, we can still make them special. Adding a few extra touches here and there make all the difference and your family and guests will appreciate the beauty and effort you put into it. I would serve this beautiful fall cheeseboard with Spiced Apple Cider Cocktails and be in fall heaven.
How to Create a Fall Cheeseboard //
Select your favorite Roth cheeses. I love a variety of cheeses and profiles – especially when I am doing a sweet and savory cheeseboard. I like to have a creamy cheese, flavored cheese, blue cheese, hard cheese, and smoked cheese. There is something for everyone on the board and they all work together with the other items on the platter.
Creamy Cheese – Grand Cru® is my husband’s favorite cheese and it is on every cheeseboard I make. It is an alpine-style cheese that is delicious for eating, but also melts like a dream. It is mild and a great all-around cheese that everyone loves.
Flavored Cheese – Horseradish Havarti is one of my favorite flavored Havarti cheeses in the Roth line up. It has chive, mustard seed, and the kick of horseradish. (It’s amazing on a baked potato.)
Blue Cheese – I love the punch of blue cheese. Buttermilk Blue® is creamy and tangy, but not too much. You know what I mean? Sometimes blue cheese is like hey, BLUE cheese, this is like bluuuuuueeeee cheese, it’s the perfect amount of mellow.
Hard Cheese – I chose Aged Gouda. I love the Gouda flavor and the way this cheese crumbles. I love the way it looks on the board and adds a different texture to the whole platter.
Smoked Cheese – Smoked Gouda is my ride-or-die cheese. I love it on a cracker, I love it melted on a sandwich, I love it in any shape or form. It’s so creamy and has just enough smokiness.
Add Fall Accompaniments to Your Sweet and Savory Fall Cheeseboard //
Add fall details and flavors to enhance your cheeseboard. I chose a fall color palette as well to make this cheeseboard really drive home that this is a spread to eat by the fireplace while watching the Pats on a Sunday. Lots of yellow, orange, brown, and deep burgundy. This is a sweet and savory board so we have lots of salty and sweet notes. Which is my personal flavor jam. Always here for a sweet savory salty moment. I loved creating this board because the color palette is gorgeous and I love that you can have so many different unique bites from all of the things on this board.
Savory //
Cheeses. I already shared which cheeses I chose, but I also added them in slices, cubes, and crumbles. I like the variety and that people can just grab their cheese and not have to slice it themselves.
Meats. I bought a package of Spanish sliced meats. They came together in the package, I like that the store did the curating for me. Jamón Serrano (similar to prosciutto), salami, and a chorizo.
Caramelized Onion and Garlic Jam. I made a batch of this jam and it not only fit into my color scheme, it is amazing on a cracker with Gouda.
Pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds or pepitas (sometimes the package says pepitas) add crunch and salt that balances all the sweet and creaminess from the cheese. Crackers. I used water crackers and fig and rosemary crisps. I like a plain cracker and one with more flavor.
Sweet //
Dried Oranges. These are so beautiful on a platter and also taste really good. A friend gifted a package to me and now I buy a few at a time. You could also easily make your own in the oven.
Dried Apricots. Chewy and sweet, these are a must have for me. I’m not a huge dried fruit fan, but I adore an apricot. These are always the first thing I go for on a cheeseboard.
Praline Pecans. I buy a few of these at a time, they are amazing on their own, on a board, and tossed into a salad.
Caramel Sauce. Add some sliced apples and dip away. Caramel is also delicious paired with Gouda and Grand Cru.
Macarons. Macarons feel super fancy and are unexpected on a cheeseboard. You can buy pumpkin, cinnamon, or any fall flavor to add to the theme of this board. These are frozen macarons from the grocery store and were really good. I also love the shape and dimension they add.
Candy. Candy corn and peanut butter cups are my family’s favorite fall candy. My son was STOKED to see candy corn on this board and it screams Halloween and fall. You know it’s almost back to school when you see the candy corn hit the shelves.
Cookies. On the cracker plate, I had butter crisps. These are thin like a cracker, but are a cookie. A piece of Grand Cru on one of these with a drizzle of caramel… chef’s KISS. I also had a bowl of gingersnaps to add some fall spice.
Decorations //
Cheeseboards are usually the focal point of the table. People ooh and ahh over cheeseboards because they are so visually appealing. They work double duty as both a decor piece and as a way to serve my guests food.
I bought some flowers that matched the colors I was using with my food and placed some blooms of burgundy dahlias and deep orange-y red spray roses around the board and the table it is sitting on. I also built the cheeseboard on top of sprigs of eucalyptus. Sprigs of green add so much visual interest and life to this board.
You can also coordinate napkins, utensils, and dishes to match the theme. It’s very easy to make a simple cheeseboard into an extraordinary themed showpiece.
Tips for Assembling a Fall Cheeseboard //
I have a few rimmed platters that I prefer to build boards on. I think the lip makes it easier to transport and keeps everything from spilling over.
I line all of my cheeseboards with parchment paper. This makes clean up super easy and protects the wood on my cheeseboard. When I am cleaning up, I throw the paper away and give the sides a good wipe down with some soapy water.
Pick things up as you see them in stores. I like to stock up on seasonal items and keep them for occasions like these. When I am making a cheeseboard, I am able to pull fun things that are unexpected from my pantry.
You don’t need to make one large cheeseboard, you can make individual ones or a few small ones to put around the room.
Summer is in full swing and so are backyard dinners and hang-outs. And every outdoor get-together requires something tasty: like a summer cheeseboard! We love a good theme, and these summer-themed boards make for delicious spreads that are sure to impress family and friends. From dessert to tailgating to craft beer, we’ve got a cheeseboard for everyone.
Give Me the Gouda Cheeseboard
Our two core Goudas — Original and Smoked — shine on this summery cheeseboard from The Cheese Board Queen which is perfect for snacking, an easy dinner, or dessert.
Grilling season is here! If you’re sick of the usual cheeseburgers and hot dogs, we’ve got a collection of grill-out recipes to help you change it up — all using our award-winning family of Roth cheeses. Absolutely perfect for your next outdoor party or summer dinner.
This grilled chicken sandwich is topped with melty Roth Gouda AND Smoked Gouda cheeses, then drizzled with homemade hot honey for a touch of heat. Add lettuce, tomato, and red onion and you have one INCREDIBLE sandwich.
This fresh salad is perfect for a hot summer day when all you want is a light yet filling dinner. Roth Horseradish Havarti gives it a boost of peppery, creamy flavor that complements the grilled shrimp.
This classic summer sammie gets an upgrade with our fan-favorite Jalapeño Havarti. It’s great for family or party guests that enjoy a kick to their food without it being too spicy or overwhelming.
These cheesy potatoes are an easy, savory delight made with Roth Grand Cru®. They’re a great side for any meal and easily feed a lot of people. Leave the bacon bits out if you’ve got vegetarian guests.
If you’re looking for something extra spicy, try this hearty sandwich with creamy Smoked Gouda cheese. Polish sausage also works great if you prefer a milder meat than chorizo sausage.
What better way to spend a warm summer evening on the patio than with summer wine and cheese pairings. Add a glass (or bottle) of vino to your cheeseboard or snack plate that complements both your favorite Roth cheeses and the sunny weather. Don’t forget to chill your wine in the fridge or chiller bucket before serving to keep it extra refreshing!
Champagne pairs perfectly with our Alpine-style cheeses. This sparkling wine highlights Grand Cru®’s creamy, nutty flavor which, in return, complements the slight dryness of Champagne. A perfect combination for those who enjoy bubbles and more savory flavors.
Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, dry, and aromatic white wine that pairs well with our Plain Chèvre goat cheese. The acidity of the wine matches the acidity of the cheese, so that neither overwhelms the other. This is an ideal pairing alongside fresh berries & fruit for those looking for a light, refreshing snack.
A Pinot Noir rosé is perfect for Roth Original Havarti. This rosé wine has a delicate, crisp, and fruity flavor that blends beautifully with our creamy, mellow Havarti cheese. Those that are looking for a fruitier pairing should give this easy-pleasing combination a go.
Semi-dry or sweet Riesling pairs great with Roth Buttermilk Blue®. The sweetness and acidity of the wine balances the more tangy, earthy flavors found in Blue cheese. This pairing is a winner for those looking for a subtly sweet-savory match. Best enjoyed with dates, berries, & honey.
Wine Chilling Tips
These white & rosé wines are best chilled at 50 to 55 degrees, while Champagne is best chilled to 45 degrees F (or ~2 to 3 hours in the fridge). Therefore, it’s best to plan ahead if you want to enjoy a bottle at its optimal temperature and taste.
If you’re running short on time, submerging the bottle in an ice bath can greatly reduce chill time to 15 to 30 minutes. Also, keep in mind: there IS such a thing as too much chilling. If wine is too cold, the taste and aroma can be greatly muted.
However, don’t stress too much about getting your wine the perfect temperature! After all, it’s only one small part of a great evening spent with friends, family, and cheese!
I have never lived in New Orleans or anywhere that truly embraces Mardi Gras, but I do love to celebrate it. You don’t really need to give me an excuse to decorate and make food around a theme.
I make a King Cake for my family every year, sometimes multiple times during Mardi Gras season, but for sure on Fat Tuesday. Some people eat pancakes (it’s called Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day in the United Kingdom) or paczki (Polish jelly doughnuts — they are incredible!) to get ready for the Lenten season. Some people go buck wild with the cocktails and the beads.
This year, we are going all out and will eat so much cheese and meats and King Cake and we will have zero regrets. I feel like we need a reason to celebrate and this is the answer! Have a family Mardi Gras night at home.
How to Create a Mardi Gras-Inspired Cheeseboard //
I love a clear theme and this board has one: the colors of Mardi Gras and New Orleans. According to my research, purple represents justice, green represents faith, and yellow or gold represents power.
New Orleans is what I think of when I think of Fat Tuesday, so I chose things that are from New Orleans and things that you eat while you are there.
I had the BEST time creating this cheeseboard and I can’t wait to tell you how I made it. So grab a King’s Cup and let’s get started!
Researching the Foods of New Orleans and Mardi Gras //
I started by doing a little research into foods that can be found and eaten in New Orleans. I wanted things that are easy to eat, go well on a cheeseboard, and loosely all tie into my Creole and Cajun theme.
King Cake//King Cake had to be on there. It’s the first thing I think of when I’m thinking about Mardi Gras. I made this one, but you can order them and have one shipped from Louisiana straight to your door. I’ve done this before and love how many different fillings you can choose from. I did an easy cheese filling for this one.
Andouille Sausage// Is found in so many Creole and Cajun recipes. It is a smoky pork sausage that is the base of so many famous Louisiana recipes. I cut mine on the bias and seared it until the sides were golden and crisp, like you do with kielbasa.
Creole Mustard // Creole mustard is grainy, spicy, and an essential ingredient in remoulade sauce that is also a New Orleans staple. It’s delicious to dip your Andouille into.
Praline Pecans // I’m of the humble opinion that there needs to be a sweet element on every cheeseboard. You can’t visit a touristy Southern city without being hit in the nostrils with the delicious aroma of burnt sugar and roasted pecans. I worked next to a candy shop that made them while I was in college and think that for a few years I was ⅕ praline pecan. They are the perfect sweet element for this cheeseboard.
Pancakes // When I was thinking about what to put on this board, the idea to add baby pancakes came to me in the middle of the night (ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT FOOD) and I’m so glad I remembered it when morning came around. I made silver dollar-sized pancakes as a nod to Shrove Tuesday. I used my favorite store-bought pancake mix, but you can always make homemade pancakes.
French Bread // Crusty French baguette because there is so much French influence in the food and culture of New Orleans, this had to be a vehicle for getting cheese to mouth.
Cornbread Crisps // Also a nod to the South where cornbread and biscuits are found on almost every table. And the yellow color was a plus too.
Muffaletta Ingredients // If you’ve ever gone to New Orleans, you have seen and heard of the famous muffaletta sandwich. There is an olive salad, lots of meats and cheeses, and is often served as an entire loaf bread. It’s pressed, so when it’s cut, it has really beautiful layers. I have a bowl of olive salad ingredients, ham, salami, and lots of cheese to choose from. With the French bread, you could make yourself a muffaletta-like sandwich.
The Rest // To round out my Mardi Gras cheeseboard, I picked fruits and vegetables that fell into my color palette. Purple and yellow carrots, yellow and green peppers, blueberries, and cucumbers.
The Roth Cheeses I Used for This Board //
For full disclosure, I chose my cheeses based solely off of color. Thankfully, Roth Cheese never lets me down and I had cheese that is yellow AND yellow with flecks of green! (When you are committed to a theme, you really need to COMMIT!)
Natural Smoked Van Gogh®️ Gouda // This is one of my favorite cheeses in the entire Roth Cheese lineup. This cheese is creamy, smoky, and incredible. It is also made for a perfect bite – A piece of French bread, a teeny bit of mustard, a slice of smoked Gouda, and topped with pecan praline. Trust me, it’s perfect!
Grand Cru®️ // Grand Cru® makes an appearance on every board I make now because it is my husband’s favorite cheese. It also pairs perfectly with an icy cold beer, which goes great with a muffaletta.
Dill Havarti // I think that Dill is often overlooked as one of the best herbs. It’s so fresh and light and I use it in salads all the time. Add it to some Havarti and it makes a really delicious cheese even more delicious. (This cheese is really good on a fried egg sandwich.)
Horseradish Havarti // I LOVE horseradish. I worked in a restaurant that had jars of really spicy horseradish and oyster crackers on each table. I would eat it and cry because it was so hot, and I loved every second of it. The creaminess of the Havarti cuts the spiciness of the horseradish and has just the right amount of kick. This Havarti also has chive and mustard seed in it. I need to experiment with this cheese more because I think that it would be amazing melted on so many things.
Some Extra Festive Things //
To make the table I served this on even festive, I bought some yellow, green, and purple napkins from a party store. I put a few of each color under the cheeseboard and it adds so much color and makes everything pop.
Mardi Gras beads and King Cake babies! I bought a big bag of 100 beads on Amazon and am set for life. I put strands all around the table and the cheeseboard to get us in the Mardi Gras mood. I also bought little plastic babies that are found in King Cakes and used them in cocktails and around the table to set the tone.
Lastly, I made a batch of King’s Cup Cocktails. A really delicious coconut, lime, and pineapple drink with a green and purple sugar rim that is so good and really fits with my whole theme.
I hope you loved this post as much as I loved creating it. I had the best time thinking of ideas and decorating and making something special for my family when we need a weeknight celebration.
There is a better than good chance that your Valentine’s Day is going to be celebrated at home this year. Might I suggest a chocolate and cheeseboard to set the mood? Is there anything sexier than cheese and chocolate? Maybe cheese, chocolate, and PEANUT BUTTER.
Just because we might be skipping the fancy restaurant this year, does not mean that we can’t make it special at home. When my husband and I had young children, we often put them to bed and had a nice evening on the couch with a bottle of wine and a cheeseboard.
Honestly, some of our best dates took place in the comfort of our living room when we didn’t have babysitters or much disposable income to speak of. Now we have teenagers and they go to bed later than us and we miss our cozy couch dates.
I love a theme and a holiday, so I really went with it for this board. Red and pink and roses and hearts – and there is nothing not to love on this cheeseboard.
Roth Grand Cru®️ alpine-style cheese is naturally nutty and pairs perfectly with peanut butter and chocolate. I made peanut butter balls to complement the complex flavors of the cheese. They are incredibly simple to make and one of my absolute favorite Valentine’s treats.
Ingredients for Peanut Butter Balls //
Peanut Butter: You can use smooth or chunky, but this isn’t the time to use the healthy kind. The kind that comes from the health food store or separates is great on bread, but you need to add so much sugar to get it to hold its shape.
Melted Butter: You don’t need a lot of butter, but it adds to the richness and helps the balls keep their shape.
Vanilla: A little vanilla adds depth of flavor and makes everything taste better.
Salt: Everything sweet needs a little salt to bring out and enhance the flavors of everything in the bowl. It makes the peanut butter more peanut buttery and the chocolate more chocolate-y.
Powdered Sugar: Adds sweetness but also literally holds everything together.
Chocolate: I used semisweet chocolate chips, but if you prefer, you can use milk or dark too.
Coconut Oil: I add a little coconut oil to my chocolate to add shine and help it set up. (This is also how to make homemade Magic Shell for ice cream.)
How to Make // The Steps
In a medium bowl, mix together 1 cup peanut butter, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar. Mix until smooth and well combined.
Chill the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes.
Portion the mixture into tablespoon-sized balls. Roll them into balls and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
When ready to dip, melt 1 (12-oz) package semisweet chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave. Add 1 tablespoon coconut oil and mix until combined.
Use a fork or skewer to dip the peanut butter balls into the chocolate. Let the excess chocolate drip and place them on the parchment paper.
Add sprinkles if you like.
Let sit until the chocolate is firm.
Tips for Making Peanut Butter Balls //
When you are making something with so few ingredients, make sure to use the best ingredients you can. It makes a big difference in the end result. Use high-quality peanut butter and chocolate.
While you are working with the balls, if they’re too soft to dip, put them back in the freezer to set back up.
If your chocolate cools and becomes too thick, put it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds until it is back to a dipping consistency.
I sometimes like to add rice cereal or crushed cornflakes to the mixture for a little extra crunch. Or even mini chocolate chips or toffee bits would be amazing!
You can use white, milk, or dark chocolate if you prefer. There is no wrong chocolate/peanut butter combination!
How to Make a Valentine’s Day Cheeseboard with Peanut Butter Balls //
I love a theme and I also love a holiday, so creating this board was just a lot of fun for me. I found as many things in the grocery store that are red, pink, heart-shaped, and fun for Valentine’s Day.
The Roth Cheeses //
The first step, pick your Roth cheeses and place them on your cutting board. I like to keep some wedges whole, and slice others. I like the way that it looks, and I like that it makes it easy to eat.
Grand Cru®️ has quickly become my husband’s favorite cheese, so that was the inspiration behind this Valentine’s date night cheeseboard. It is mellow and has just a bit of natural sweetness, so it’s perfect on a board that features so many sweets.
Prairie Sunset®️ and chocolate are also a match made in heaven, which is why I chose those two kinds of cheese to pair with all of the chocolate you find on this board.
Chèvre is mild and fresh. In my humble opinion, an excellent base on a cracker with some prosciutto and dried fruit. I took it a step further and rolled it dried cranberries for color and extra flavor.
Havarti rounds out the cheese selection. It’s super creamy and I wanted something more salty and savory to round out all of the sweetness on this cheeseboard.
The Rest for Your Valentine’s Day Cheeseboard //
Once you have your cheeses laid down on your cutting board, I like to fill in some of the holes with my bigger items. I made roses out of salami and bay leaves, so they took up a nice spot at the top of the board.
I placed my peanut butter balls in the middle because next to the cheese, they are the star of the show.
There is a cute bakery in my town that specializes in gingerbread cookies, so I bought a few large hearts and made sure that they were also a focal point.
Once I had my main items placed, I filled in any holes with smaller items. I had raspberries, chocolate-covered strawberries, chocolate caramels, white chocolate raspberry chunks (they have Pop Rocks in there and it’s my new favorite candy), little pink cakes, and heart candies.
This board is FULL of delicious treats. To finish it off and really make it look romantic, I added spray roses and more fresh bay leaves.
I love this cheeseboard turned out and I can’t wait to share it with my love this Valentine’s Day.
Our holidays this year might be smaller, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be full of traditions or as festive. Growing up, we had a cheeseboard as part of our Christmas morning breakfast. This was before cheese boards were part of our everyday vernacular. We had cheese and crackers, but not like the full spread.
We felt very fancy eating cheeses we picked out at the gourmet cheese shop, with little jars of mustards and jams, teeny tiny pickles, olives, and crusty bread while wearing our pajamas after opening our presents.
Now, we don’t save the good cheese for just Christmas morning, we eat cheese boards with the good cheese on them all the time at home. We keep a well-stocked pantry so we can throw together a good cheese pairing at a moment’s notice. And we do. Often.
One upside of 2020 is that we can buy excellent quality cheeses at our local grocery store any time we want.
A few years ago, I went to Wisconsin and met a few cheesemakers, and toured their facilities. I sampled their cheeses and saw firsthand the pride and love they put into their product. People just don’t make cheese, they liveand breathe cheese.
It stayed with me and now I actively seek out Wisconsin cheeses, like Roth Grand Cru®, because I know that they will be made with milk that comes from family farms. More often than not, you can see the silo from the parking lot, they are that close.
Roth Cheese is a brand that I look for in the cheese case because I know that I’m going to get a well-crafted and delicious cheese, made with all-natural ingredients and rBST-free milk, no matter which variety I choose. I also really like that all of the packages have pairing and cooking ideas on them.
I’ve made so many cheese boards that I think that I have cracked the code for making stellar ones every time that are just as pretty as they are tasty.
How to Choose Cheese For Your Board //
When I’m making a cheese board, I want a few different kinds of cheese. Different textures, different flavor profiles, different ages, different colors. I want there to be lots of different bite possibilities.
Age // Grand Cru® is Roth’s signature alpine-style cheese. It is similar to Gruyère, cultured in cooper vats and then aged for 4+ months. It is delicious for snacking, but also melts beautifully. We also use this for our New Year’s Eve raclette because it’s heaven melted over roasted potatoes.
Texture // Buttermilk Blue® is a creamy and mellow blue that is aged for two months. A lot of blue cheeses can be too strong for me, but this one is just right.
Flavor // Van Gogh Gouda is slightly sweet and mellow. It also melts well and is delicious in mac and cheese.
You can find Grand Cru® and other Roth Cheeses at your local grocer. Use their store locator for the closest location to you.
What to Put on Your Cheese Board //
Like with the cheeses you choose, you also need a variety with the other things on the board. Crunchy, sweet, salty, spicy. The way I like to think about it, combinations of things to make amazing bites. I also like to put on things that are seasonal or unexpected and fun, like the stollen on this board.
Meats // Salami, prosciutto, ham, any cured meat you like
The Unexpected // Chocolates, potato chips, caramel corn, pickled vegetables, seasonal things, cookies
I made a homemade Apple Cranberry Chutney and it will go perfectly with the Grand Cru® and the other cheeses on this board.
How to Put Together A Visually Appealing Cheese Board //
The beauty of a cheese board is, well, cheese. But also they are really beautiful on your table. There are some tricks for making them look Instagram-worthy.
Lay your cheeses out first // Your eyes are trained to see things in triangles and patterns. Cheese is often round and sliced into a triangle. I place the cheeses in a general triangle shape on the platter and point the edges towards each other. I also will pre-slice or cube some for ease of eating, but also visual interest.
Color // I pick a color palette and try to pick things that will compliment each other. This board has lots of warm colors – reds, oranges, and yellows. All the colors work together and don’t compete with each other. You can also do the opposite – pick colors that are opposite on the color wheel. Purple and green, blue and orange, or red and green.
Make it look abundant // I like my boards to look overflowing. Use a smaller platter or container and pile things higher on it.
Fill all the space // I really like how a full platter looks. Where you can’t see the surface that the food is sitting on. It looks like a rectangle of meats and cheeses sitting on a table and I’m here for that. Nuts, dried fruits, and berries are really good filler for this.
How can you arrange it in a different way // Instead of just taking a handful of crackers on putting them on a platter, maybe stack them or line them up or wave them around a bowl? Maybe fold meats into ribbons or pile them into little purses (this is really good for prosciutto)?
Think in odd numbers // Your brain tells your eyes to see things in patterns, and it also really likes odd numbers. So groupings of 3’s and 5’s draw your eye around your platter.
Don’t overthink it and have fun // Even though I was styling this board to be shot for a post, it took me less than 10 minutes to put it together. I think that when you are working with foods that are naturally colorful and beautiful like cheese and fruit and chutneys, it is difficult to make it look anything less than gorgeous. Just have fun with it.
How to Make Apple Cranberry Chutney //
I made this holiday-spiced Apple Cranberry Chutney to go on my cheese board because I love how in an English pub when you order a cheese plate, it always has a chutney on it. And also because I was a little overzealous with my apple purchasing and found myself with an abundance of apples that needed to be used up.
During the holidays, I do like to take the extra time to make special condiments to have on hand, whether for gift giving or for when I am going to make a cheese board or serve a pork roast or a roast chicken. It makes me feel very Nigella Lawson-esque.
I created this apple and dried cranberry chutney recipe using things I already had on hand. Apples, cider, onions, fresh ginger, spices, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt, lemon juice, and dried cranberries.
If you have never had a chutney before, it is a savory condiment, like a jam. It’s Indian in origin, and why you see it in English pubs. Did you know that the national food of England is chicken tikka masala?
It’s simple to make, pairs perfectly with cheese and meats, and when you are making it, you can’t help but get into the holiday spirit.
How to Make // The Steps
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions for one to two minutes, or until translucent.
Add fresh ginger and spices, and cook for an additional minute.
Add brown sugar, apples, cider, apple cider vinegar, salt, and lemon juice.
Reduce heat to low, and let the apples cook down and begin to soften about 10 minutes.
Use a masher and mash about half of the apples. Add the dried cranberries and continue to simmer for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until the mixture is thick and the liquid has evaporated.
Let cool and put into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 2 months.
For us Midwesterners it may be hard to believe, but spring is finally here! Time to bask in the extra hour of sunlight, clean out that dirty closet and take advantage of fresh new herbs and veggies. Here are five spring-time recipes that will breathe new life into your diet.
Asparagus and Pea Pesto Flatbread: Fresh, herby, pea pesto on crisp, naan bread, topped with chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus, basil and Dill Havarti…HELLOOO spring. Eliminate the guilt in grabbing that second or third slice with this low-cal flatbread.
30-minute Spring Pasta: Packed with fresh veggies, prosciutto, and Original Grand Cru®. This elevated pasta comes together in only 30-minutes. Get out and enjoy the first warm days of the year with all that saved time.
Green Bean Buttermilk Blue Salad: Add some green to your diet with this super-fresh, green bean salad. Green beans, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, oregano and our Buttermilk Blue® – tossed together for a refreshing and healthy treat!
Alpine Asparagus Finger Rolls: Although asparagus may be available all year round, it’s at its peak in April, making this recipe the perfect, savory, finger-food for springtime gatherings. Featuring:Grand Cru® Reserve
Whether it’s a weekday or the weekend, your lunch plans don’t have to be boring. These five recipes are some of Roth fans’ all-time favorites and trust us, you won’t be disappointed.
Harvest Couscous Salad: Although this salad is a fall favorite, it can be enjoyed anytime throughout the year. Plus, it features our tangy, but mellow Buttermilk Blue® cheese.
Southwest Chicken Wrap: Layered with chicken, spicy 3 Chile Pepper Gouda cheese, lettuce, tomato, and beans, this makes a tasty, nutritious lunch that will keep you full all afternoon!
Four Cheese Stovetop Macaroni: Nothing is more delicious or satisfying than making your own mac and cheese, and it’s surprisingly easy. Four amazing cheeses: Havarti, Organic Cheddar, Butterkäse, and Grand Cru®, work together to make this the ultimate, decadent, creamy stovetop mac and cheese.
Chicken BLT Salad: Our Buttermilk Blue® cheese crumbles and ranch dressing add a creaminess to the usual bacon, lettuce, and tomato salad combo.
It’s finally Spring! Whether you’re making a cheese board for a party, a shower, or just because, you might as well make it as lovely, tasty, and seasonal as possible. Here’s our latest inspiration:
STEP 1: Choose your cheese
We recommend starting with a creamy, flavored Havarti. Roth Horseradish Havarti has just enough kick without overpowering your palate. Plus, it pairs especially well with seasonal ham.
Next, add a nice, nutty alpine-style cheese. Alpine-style cheeses, like Roth Grand Cru, have a rich, complex flavor and appeals to just about any party-goer. Plus, it pairs beautifully with nuts, fruits, and ham—which makes it a perfect partner for this spring board.
Add a pop of color with a mild cheddar or American Original cheese. Roth Prairie Sunset is a perfect choice for spring. It is slightly sweet with a hint of butterscotch, and so approachable that it tastes great in just about any combination.
Step 2: Pair with Accompaniments
Have fun adding color to your cheese board with seasonal vegetables, fruit, and nuts. Here are some ideas:
Marcona almonds: These simple salted, slightly oily almonds provide a great crunch between bites.
Pickled spring onions: You can make these a few days in advance in the fridge by putting trimmed spring onions into a simple brine—a quick search for pickled spring onions or scallions will turn up dozens of tasty options.
Grapes: Pick your favorite variety—we love the color of red grapes against the color of the Prairie Sunset.
Rhubarb jam: Nothing says spring like rhubarb!
Beauty heart radishes: Peppery-sweet and oh-so-pretty, these radishes may look boring from the outside, but when you slice them, they’re show-stoppers. Great on a sliced baguette with ham and your choice of cheese.
Candied Meyer Lemon: Meyer lemons have a distinctive taste—less sour than regular lemons, with a slightly floral aroma. If you can’t find them candied, you can make your own! Martha Stewart’s version calls for simmering sliced lemons in a simple syrup for 30 minutes, letting them cool, then laying them out on a rack.
Step 3: Add a Base
Bulk up your cheese board with meats, crackers and bread. For spring, we love:
Country ham: Salty country ham is a great choice for a cheese board, but an unctuous liver pâté would be lovely, too.
Whole wheat crackers and sliced baguette: These serve as the perfect base for stacking up adventurous cheese board combos.
Shave Grand Cru over an arugula salad, simply dressed with cubes of watermelon tossed throughout.
Enjoy a fresh and fruity take on a vegetarian burger: Brush a thick slab of watermelon with olive oil, grill for about five minutes per side, and melt Grand Cru on top. Serve on buns with your usual burger fixings.
Top crostini with a twist on your typical caprese: Cubed watermelon, cubed Grand Cru, and a chiffonade of mint and chives, all tossed with olive oil and balsamic.
