According to British cheese brand Butlers, the ideal cheeseboard need only have three types of cheese: One hard, one soft and one blue. It is much better to have a nice sized piece of three outstanding cheeseboard cheeses over Christmas rather than many small packs which can dry out or be non-descript and which end up unloved at the back of the fridge come the New Year.
The selection they recommend below (of which you can replace like for like) has something for everyone. Accompanied by some simple dried fruits such as dates and figs it looks and tastes impressive. Try with a glass of sweet Sherry or a white dessert wine. The wine should be chilled, the cheeses served at room temperature.
Traditional Farmhouse Lancashire
This cheese is handmade on Butlers family farm in Inglewhite to an original recipe using milk from the farms cows. What makes it stand out from the crowd is its complex, savoury flavour which gives a multi-dimensional explosion of taste in the mouth. The open, buttery crumble texture means it is less heavy than a Cheddar but it still appeals to the widest range of people. If you can, get a nice piece cut for you from a deli-counter but if this is not possible look for the Butlers brand name on pre-packs of farmhouse or tasty Lancashire sold many supermarkets.
Butlers Blacksticks Blue
The famous orange hued Blacksticks Blue provides a splash of colour and blue cheese taste. It is milder and creamier than a Stilton and deliciously soft and squishy. Chef Simon Rimmer is one of its many fans. He describes it as The Daddy of all Blue Cheeses. Packs of Blacksticks Blue are widely available but also look out for miniature whole truckles of Blacksticks Blue in Sainsburys, Booths and Marks and Spencer.
Butlers Kidderton Ash
Try this innovative goats cheese instead of Brie. It is made with goats milk and has a mild creamy taste but it also looks good on a cheese board thanks to white coat which develops through a layer of coconut ash as the handmade cheese matures. The result is a firm outer coat, a squishy inner layer and a fluffy centre.