On the 3rd Day of Christmas…something Cheesy.

It’s beginning to feel a bit like Christmas and I am now full-swing into stocking up the food treats for the holiday period.

I rarely eat pudding (a personal choice…and may not be yours) but love cheese to round off or even make a meal. The protein is great, the flavours all so different and just a little hits the spot!

I asked my friend Tony Chuck, owner of Teddington Cheese (www.teddingtoncheese.co.uk) a local cheese emporium to me (the man stocks some 140 cheeses!) what I should look for to put together the perfect Christmas cheeseboard ahead of the festivities. Here’s his advice and my gift on the 3rd day of Christmas.

What to select?
Tony believes, as I do, less is more! It’s better to serve a good-sized portion of a select number of cheeses than lots of small pieces. For serving 4-6 people, three or four cheeses should be ample. He suggests a blue (like Crozier Blue); a hard cheese (a recent find and current favourite bring Cirone); a goat’s cheese like Capria; and perhaps a good old-fashioned and traditional Cheddar (Montgomery’s is their most popular).

Biscuits or Bread?
A matter of personal preference and sometimes tolerability for bariatrics but his advice that the cheese should be the hero and the bread or biscuit should be as plain possible holds true.

Accompaniments?
Grapes and celery can be WLS friendly but watch out for the jams and jellies which can be high in sugar. Dried fruit and nuts are a better alternative in small portions. Port….your choice but go easy!

Storage
Store in the top of refrigerator until needed. Remove a couple of hours before required and bring to room temperature to serve.

When to serve?
After pudding or before? It doesn’t really matter…follow our fellow Europeans if you feel so inclined before pudding or linger later at the end of the meal. The choice is entirely yours.

All sounds cheesy but then the best things often are!