The cheese board is often the pinnacle of any Christmas buffet, but selecting from a huge number of options can be overwhelming.
Luckily, we’ve tried out some of the best ranges on the market this festive season to point you in the right direction – with two stand-out brands offering delicious cheeses.
And no board is complete without two key elements: something rich and creamy, and something challenging to the palate.
Starting strong – literally – with some of the trickiest cheeses to navigate: the blue.
No one does it quite as well, or as varied, as Shepherd’s Purse, who specialise in all things blue cheese.
But while you might be wondering how to pick between the various options, the brand has released several handy hampers for the Christmas period so you can taste your way to your favourite cheese.
Their Taste Of Yorkshire hamper, priced at £75, comes loaded with all the cheeses and accompaniments you could want – including a Yorkshire Blue, Harrogate Blue, Bluemin White, Buffalo Blue, Northern Blue, and a salad cheese.
The hamper is also packed with perfect pairings like a red onion and port marmalade, a blossom honey, water biscuits, cranberry and raisin toasts, and a traditional fruit cake – yum.
Or, for smaller boards and a cheaper option, their Bit Of Blue hamper is priced at £25 and includes their four iconic blue cheeses – the Organic Yorkshire Blue, the Harrogate Blue, the Northern Blue and a Bluemin White, as well as a fig and honey chutney to complement.
This is the ideal way to dip your toe into the world of blue cheese and find the perfect match for your festive platter.
Now we’re sorted for bold blues, it’s time for the crowd pleaser – a creamy option.
And there is one brand famed for one of the creamiest options available: Kaltbach.
While we often flock to brie or camembert for those rich, creamy textures, Kaltbach Creamy is somehow even smoother and more buttery – a really luxe addition to a cheeseboard, and pairs beautifully with anything sweet or with a kick to cut through the cream.
The cheese launched exclusively in M&S in September and, despite winning Silver at the 2024 World Cheese Awards, it won’t break the bank at just £4.75.
Kaltbach has several other delicious options for those looking to expand their board with well-respected picks.
Their Emmental, made from Swiss raw milk and refined for 12 months in the famous Kaltbach caves, is nutty and tangy – though it is on the dry side, so having something fresh on your board to pair with it is a must.
Meanwhile their Gruyère is famed for a reason: the 12-month ageing period gives it a sharp, intense taste, with the cheese offering slightly fruity and tangy notes – a real asset which is sure to impress guests.
Happy eating!
