Guests don’t just eat the perfect cheese board – they react to it. First comes the pause. The lean-in. The “oh wow” moment as eyes scan the cheeses, the crackers, the little bowls of extras. It instantly signals that something special is happening.
Then comes the chatter. Everyone has an opinion – favourites are claimed, recommendations are made, and someone inevitably asks, “What’s that one?” It becomes a talking point as much as a snack, breaking the ice before you’ve even poured the drinks.
By the end of the night, there’s barely a crumb left, and at least one guest asking you to “send me a photo of how you did it”.
Balance is the key to a Hugh Hamilton cheese board
The folks at Hugh Hamilton in McLaren Vale, South Australia, know how to put together the perfect cheese board. Apart from looking gorgeous and guaranteeing that “oh wow” moment, enjoying it with a glass of ‘The Ruffian’ Liqueur Muscat is the crowning glory.
Use this cheese board recipe as a guide for serving up your own perfect mix of cheese, nuts, fruit, charcuterie etc. Balance is everything, so that the cheese board becomes a flavourful and textural experience.
Will you be starting with the cheese or the nuts?
8
servings15
minutesServe your guests the perfect “wow” moment with a cheese board like this one by Hugh Hamilton, McLaren Vale.
Stop your screen from snoozing (zzz)
Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil
Dukkah
Smoked almonds
Balsamic dressing
3 cheeses of your choice
Charcuterie (such as salami and prosciutto)
4 fruits (such as grapes, cranberries, strawberries and orange)
chocolate pieces (such as dark raspberry and milk chocolate stars)
Pâté of your choice
Rosemary and lavender, to garnish
Crackers and bread, to serve
The Ruffian Liqueur Muscat, to serve
Method
- Start by placing any accessories, bowls and glasses across your board, they are going to frame your food.
- Fill small bowls with olive oil, dukkah, almonds, balsamic.
- Add 3 cheeses in a triangle formation. By choosing 3 different styles of cheese (e.g. hard, soft and blue), you create visual interest and a luxurious feeling.
- Add your meats, making sure they are folded and placed in layers and fans.
- Place your fruit in the centre of the board spraying outwards and around the bowls, Be sure to save some to scatter around the edges later.
- Add the chocolate and pâté to the board.
- Lastly, tuck some garnishes and reserved fruit into any small empty spaces to finish off a full and beautiful board.
- Serve with a variety of crackers and bread and enjoy it all with The Ruffian Liqueur Muscat.
Notes
- If you’re adding chocolate to your cheese board, make sure it is dark chocolate. As it isn’t quite a sweet as milk or white chocolate, it will elevate your enjoyment of the savoury elements on the cheese board, along with the muscat.
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