Building the Perfect British Cheeseboard

The British cheeseboard is, at its best, a thing of genuine beauty. Not the afterthought it sometimes becomes — a few supermarket wedges arranged without ceremony on a wooden board — but a considered composition of textures, flavours and ages, each cheese chosen to complement the others and to provide a journey from the mild to the pungent, the fresh to the aged.

The rules, such as they are, are few. Three to five cheeses is the ideal number: enough variety to be interesting, few enough that each can be properly appreciated. Always include at least one British cheese — a Montgomery's Cheddar, a Colston Bassett Stilton, a proper Cheshire — because the British tradition of cheesemaking, which nearly died out in the twentieth century, has been magnificently revived and deserves to be celebrated.

The Architecture

Begin with something mild and fresh: a young goat's cheese, a creamy Brie de Meaux, or a good Burrata if you're feeling continental. This is the palate-cleanser, the opening note.

Move to something with more character: a well-aged Comté, a nutty Manchego, or a Montgomery's Cheddar with its complex, almost savoury depth. This is the backbone of the board.

Add something blue: a Colston Bassett Stilton at its best — creamy, complex, with that characteristic blue-green veining — is one of the great cheeses of the world. Do not be tempted by a lesser substitute.

Finish with something washed-rind or pungent: a properly ripe Époisses, a Taleggio, or, in season, a Mont d'Or. These are the cheeses that divide opinion and generate conversation.

The Accompaniments

Our Smoked Maldon Sea Salt, a jar of Black Truffle Honey and a selection of artisan crackers are, in our view, the only accompaniments a serious cheeseboard requires. The honey with a strong blue cheese is a combination of particular genius.