How to Build a Gluten-Free Cheese Board

One of the most universally loved things to have on a dinner table? A cheeseboard. Cheeseboards are a classic to serve when you’re entertaining guests, or just fun to make as a starter for dinner. If you’ve never made a cheeseboard before, don’t be intimidated! One of the great things about them is that they look beautiful and elaborate when all is said and done, but they’re quite simple to put together. We like to include a little of everything to pair with our crisps: veggies, cheese, fruit, nuts, and a couple of dips or spreads. We know that gluten can be an issue for a lot of people, so we’ve put together this gluten free guide to make your cheeseboards more inclusive.

- Anna Goldstone, 📸 @annaseatzz 

Types of cheese for a board:
Hard- parmesan, cheddar, manchego, and pecorino
Semi-soft cheese- blue cheese, brie, gruyere, and goat
Soft-camembert, chèvre, mozzarella, burrata, and cashew-based cheese

Vessels for cheese and dips:
Cut up veggies - carrots, cucumber, radish, and endive
Crisps - any Maine Crisps 

Dips or Spreads:
Hummus, pesto, jam/preserves, tapenade, and mustard

Extras:
Nuts - almonds, pecans, walnuts, and marcona almonds
Marinated/pickled vegetables- red peppers, artichokes, olives
Fruit - berries, dates, figs, dried fruit, apples, and grapes
Herbs (for garnish) - rosemary, thyme, and sage

Pairing with Maine Crisps:
Cinnamon Maple Crisp- a creamy ricotta and fresh strawberries
Cranberry Almond Crisp- a rich camembert at room temperature paired well with apples or pears
Savory Fig & Thyme Crisp- a smoky gouda compliments the mild flavor of figs
Wild Blueberry Walnut Crisps- a rich brie at room temperature with jam or candied nuts

I like to start by finding a clear slate, wood board, or any type of flat plate. Then I lay out the cheeses. For hard cheeses sometimes, I like to cut them up into triangles to align them where every other triangle is off center making a fun pattern. 

I add the dips and spreads. If you're feeling fancy you can put your dips into small bowls, such as ramekins. Or just take the lid off and place it on the board. 

Then I cut and rinse any fresh fruit or veggies for my board. Now comes the fun part where you add clusters of crackers, fresh fruit, veggies, nuts, and anything else your heart desires to fill the board up. 

Making cheese boards is a great entertainer to bring friends and family together. Sometimes I discover new food combinations or hear stories about my friends when they were little. Cheese boards are interactive allowing everyone to participate and share their favorite foods.