Ultimate Fall Cheese Board

The best way to kick off the new season is with my ultimate fall cheese board...fall flavors here we come!

Fall is here and I can't wait to eat all the produce and flavors that come with the season. Be sure you've stocked your fall pantry & fridge so you will have all the essentials! You aren't going to want to wait to make this! P.S. - This cheese board is best served outside on a cool day with friends & family!

Cheese board substitutions

You can completely substitute the ingredients in this cheese board. There are so many fresh, fall fruits. Use what you can find (and what's affordable) - apples, pears, pomegranates, dates, figs, persimmons, or cranberries. Dried or fresh, either will work! I spent over an hour searching for fresh figs, and I couldn't find them anywhere in a local store near me. I opted for dried figs this time around.

Apple butter could be a good substitute to the fig marmalade. Feel free to substitute the crackers for a baguette or pita. Don't like certain nuts or seeds? Change them out for what you like!

Wine pairing

Refinery 29 has some great wine paring suggestions to go along with your fall cheeseboard. I suggest asking the friends or family you are hosting to pick up a bottle.

• Rosé made from more full-bodied grapes - Grenache, Syrah, and Cabernet Sauvignon
• Rosé that is slightly off-dry (sweet) - from the Anjou region of France
• Fuller, round white wine - Sémillon or Viognier
• Lighter red wine - Pinot Noir or Zinfandel 
  
  

Let's break it down

Cheese boards can definitely get expensive. My advice is to buy items that you already eat on a regular basis or that you can reuse in another recipe if you have leftovers. If you already have certain items in your pantry, use what you've got on hand to cut down on the initial cost. As for leftovers, we will use the extra nuts, meat, and cheese for snacks throughout the week, while the fruit will go in our lunches. Oh, and I'm planning on making a fall inspired pizza with the leftover fig products.

Below is a list of some of my favorite cheese board essentials. Quality ingredients are the key to a good cheese board. If you can only splurge on a couple of items, I would invest in the cheese & meats. They are the star of the show!

• Goat cheese (plain)
• Fig marmalade
• Brie cheese
• Manchego cheese
• Gruyere cheese
• Spicy Italian dry salami
• Pepper salami + hot capocollo + hot calabrese
• Golden Crown Figs, Sun Dried
• Blue Diamond Almond Artisan Nut Thins Cracker Crisps, Flax Seeds
• Blue Diamond Pecan Nut-Thins Cracker Crisps
  
  

Just for you I've got all my cheese board essentials in a printable grocery shopping list. If you're ever in a pinch for a party meal, grab this list before you head to the store!

Serving notes

It's best to take your cheese out of the refrigerator 1 - 1.5 hours before serving. Cheese actually reaches it's optimal flavor when it is at room temperature. This is good news for serving cheese boards at parties. You can get your board ready about 1 hour before guests arrive. You'll want to add the meat about 10 minutes before guests arrive since it can't sit out as long as the cheese.

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