From the Pantry Bookshelf
A good cheese board can begin with one piece of cheese you are curious about. Add two or three companions from the kitchen, give everything a little space, and you have something worth sitting down for.
The cheese chapter in Lekker Hollands offers a useful starting point. It draws attention to smaller Dutch cheese makers and suggests enjoying a small piece of strong farmhouse cheese after the main course. Elsewhere, it brings mature cow's-milk cheese together with cumin and explores Dutch soft goat cheeses with French influences. There is plenty to discover beyond a familiar yellow wedge.
The ten ideas below are Pantry's own serving suggestions, prompted by that attention to variety. Choose according to the cheese, what you already have and the contrasts you enjoy. You do not need all ten on one board.
1. Plain rye crackers
Choose these when you want a crisp base that leaves plenty of room for the cheese. A plain cracker also gives you a straightforward starting point before adding mustard or something sweet.
Keep some crackers beside the board rather than covering them all in advance. That lets everyone decide how much cheese they want and makes it easier to try the same cheese with several companions.
2. Dark rye bread
Dark rye bread offers a different kind of bite: dense and substantial rather than brittle. Pantry's Bolletje Fries Roggebrood is one rye-bread option to explore. Small pieces can suit a quiet lunch board or a more generous snack, especially if you prefer bread to crackers.
Cut it into manageable squares or short slices. Start with a little cheese on its own, then decide whether you want the fuller mouthful that the bread provides.
3. Grain mustard
A small bowl of grain mustard gives the board a sharper option. Maille's coarse Ancienne mustard is one choice in the Pantry range. If you enjoy mustard with savoury food, try a tiny dab alongside a firm cheese and see whether the balance suits you.
Mustards vary in sweetness and strength, so begin sparingly. Serving it separately keeps the choice open: one person can add a generous smear while another enjoys the cheese without it.
4. Gherkins
Gherkins are a convenient way to bring a pickled element to the table. Their crunch and vinegar dressing offer a change of pace between mouthfuls of cheese and bread.
Drain them before serving, then leave small ones whole or cut larger ones into pieces. Taste one first: a sweet gherkin and a sharply sour one will take the board in different directions. Choose the style you actually like.
5. Pickled onions
Pickled onions fill a similar role to gherkins but bring their own onion character. Choose them when that is the flavour you want, or put out a few of each if you are sharing with people who have different preferences.
A small portion is enough to start. Keep the onions in a little dish so their pickling liquid stays away from the bread and crackers.
6. Apple syrup
If you like sweet and savoury together, apple syrup is an easy cupboard experiment. Pantry carries Canisius Rinse Apple Syrup, a spread made with concentrated sugar-beet and apple juice. Put a little in a shallow dish and try a thin smear with a small piece of cheese.
The aim is to find a proportion you enjoy. Start with less syrup than you think you need, particularly with a mild cheese. A separate spoon makes it simple to add more without turning the whole board into a sweet spread.
7. Tart fruit preserve
Redcurrant or cranberry preserve gives you another sweet option, with a tart edge depending on the jar. This can be useful when you want fruit on the board but have little fresh produce to hand.
Taste the preserve before choosing the cheese. With a soft goat cheese, try a small spoonful on the side and decide whether you prefer them together or in separate bites. There is no need to use both preserve and syrup.
8. Unsalted walnuts
Walnuts add a firm, irregular crunch without another jar or a cooked accompaniment. Keeping them unsalted gives you more control over a board that already contains cheese.
Put out a few halves or break them into smaller pieces for easier eating. Try them beside the cheese first; if you like the combination, add a little bread or fruit. This is a simple way to vary texture without expanding the board very far.
9. Dried apricots
Dried apricots offer a chewy fruit option that can wait in the cupboard until needed. Cut them into halves or smaller strips so they are easy to portion alongside a bite of cheese.
They can take the place of a preserve if you would rather avoid another dish and spoon. Their texture also makes them a useful alternative to fresh fruit when you want to assemble the board quickly.
10. Fresh apple or pear
A few slices of apple or pear bring a fresh element to the table. Choose fruit at a ripeness you enjoy: a crisp apple and a softer pear create quite different mouthfuls.
Slice the fruit close to serving and put out a modest amount first. Try a slice with a firm cheese, then with a soft one if you have both. Let your own preference decide what earns a place next time.
Choose a small combination
For a first board, pick one base, one contrasting companion and one fruit or nut: rye crackers, a few gherkins and apple slices, for example. If you prefer sweeter combinations, try rye bread, a little apple syrup and walnuts.
With two cheeses, choose different textures or strengths so there is something to compare. Taste, adjust and refill the things people reach for. A useful cheese board is one you enjoy eating and can put together again.
From the Pantry Bookshelf: inspired by the cheese chapter of Lekker Hollands, recipes by Yolanda van der Jagt and texts by Job Franken, pp. 222, 235 and 242. The companion choices and serving suggestions here are Pantry's own.