Cooking With Maddie Newsletter #29

Cheeseboards with Deechi

Hi there!

My name is Daniella, aka Deechi, and I am one of Maddie’s (many) friends! Maddie and I were roomies for two years in KC, and she is one of the people that encouraged me to start my cheese Instagram account @cheeseandthankyou! I absolutely LOVE making cheese boards for people to enjoy, and I am so excited to share some of my favorite tips + tricks with all the newsletter followers! 

When making a cheese board, the golden rule is simple— there are no rules. It’s all about having fun! Add whatever you love, skip the things you don’t!

There are, however, components I try to squeeze (literally) on every board—

• Cheese

• Meats

• Fruit

• Crackers

• Nuts

• Jellies or Jams

And when I have them around, I’ll also likely add something salty (pickles, olives), sweet (small cookies, candy) or salty AND sweet (chocolate-covered pretzels).

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When I’m constructing a board, I always like to start with the cheeses. Place each cheese equally apart around the board.

When deciding what cheeses to include, I usually do 1-2 hard cheeses (Unexpected Cheddar from Trader Joe’s is a must, but I also love a smoked Gouda). I like to include at least one soft cheese— Brie is always a safe choice, but Honey Goat is also great. And then round it out with one soft/hard like Manchego.

You can find great cheeses at your normal grocery store, but I also like to shop at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods or a local cheese shop when I’m looking for something special. Or, you can buy straight from the source— I’ve been loving anything from Cello Cheese, especially the Fontal Cheese.

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Next comes the meats. I almost always grab a salami (Volpi is my favorite!). It’s easy to work with, unlike prosciutto, and adds a perfect, bold flavor to the board. Layer it however you please! I find pre-cutting some pieces helps you better distribute meat across the cheeseboard. Here’s also your chance to add some heat to the board with a spicy sopressata, peppered salame or spicy coppa. I’m not here for the spice, but some people really love it. Another way of adding spice— hot honey! But more on that later!

Next up, fruit! My favorite part of a cheese board. Some fruits that pair well with cheese are grapes, pears, apples, strawberries and peaches. I use my fruit in place of crackers, but I know not everyone is ready to ditch gluten!

Speaking of crackers… let’s add those next. Grab your favorite kind and layer those in wherever there is a blank spot on the board. Buying a variety pack will give you different cracker options because everyone has a favorite. You can also switch it up by adding Nut Thins or snack crackers like Cheez-its.

Next— nuts. Something I never used to add to my cheeseboards because Maddie’s allergic, but now that she’s unfortunately not eating most of my cheeseboards, I’ve been able to add them. This Smoky Nut recipe from Platters and Boards has been my recent go-to—

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1⁄3 cup lightly-packed brown sugar

• 1 egg white

• 2 cups mixed nuts (such as pecans, hazelnuts, cashews, peanuts or macadamias)

Preheat the oven to 300°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together the smoked paprika, cinnamon, salt and brown sugar.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy, about 20 seconds. Fold the mixed nuts into the egg white until completely coated. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the nuts and toss to coat. Transfer the nuts to the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes, until browned and fragrant.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Serve once cooled, or transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

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The final touch you’ll need to add to your board is a jam or jelly. I absolutely love adding a fig jam to the board, but you can also add a local honey (Maddie swears by Savannah Bee), spicy pepper jam — whatever spreadable goodness you enjoy!

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I hope this was helpful for you! I have so many inspo pics for you to reference on my instagram, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions! I’m always happy to share where I buy cheeseboards, Trader Joe finds, etc.!

My personal IG is @deechi and cheesetagram is @cheeseandthankyou!

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In true Maddie fashion, I would like to end with what’s been giving me life this week: 

Wedding planning. I can’t believe I am even typing that out as a positive in my life because let me tell you, it’s been HELL (due to the pandemic). But it has made me so incredibly grateful for all the amazing people in my life. I’ll take that trade-off any day.

Another thing giving me life is rewatching Modern Family from the beginning with my Fiancé, Chance. It’s such an a feel-good show. This is your sign to start binging it now— maybe with a cheeseboard?

Have a great week everyone! And thanks for letting me hangout with your friends Maddie. 

XX

Deechi