Irish farmhouse cheese: how to order a board

A good cheese board offers three to five cheeses with different textures and strengths, served at room temperature with something to eat them with. When you order one in Ireland, you can often ask where each cheese is from and who makes it, and a good place will tell you. This guide explains how to order, what to look for and what to ask.

What a board should include

A varied board mixes types. A soft cheese, a firm cheese, a blue and something washed-rind or goat gives a range from mild to strong. If the board is made up of four cheddars, it is not a board.

Ask which cheeses are Irish. A kitchen proud of its suppliers will name them. Farmhouse cheese is made on the farm or in a small dairy, often from the milk of its own herd, and varies from batch to batch.

What to ask

• Which cheeses are on the board, and where are they from?
• Which are made with unpasteurised milk? (Relevant if you are pregnant or immunocompromised.)
• Is anything vegetarian? Some cheeses use animal rennet.
• Is there a gluten free cracker?

Staff who answer these questions confidently usually know their cheese.

What it should come with

Bread or crackers, fruit such as grapes or apple, a chutney or relish, and perhaps honey or nuts. The accompaniments should complement, not overwhelm. A big pile of crackers with a thin slice of cheese is poor value.

Temperature matters

Cheese straight from the fridge is dull and hard. It should be out for a while, so that the flavour opens up. If your cheese tastes of nothing, ask if it can sit for ten minutes. Do not be shy about this, as it is a common request.

How to taste

Start with the mildest and finish with the strongest, so that the stronger cheeses do not flatten the delicate ones. Taste with bread, then with a piece of fruit, and see what each does to the cheese. Take your time. A board is meant to be shared and lingered over.

What to drink

Wine, beer, cider and tea all work. A sweet wine goes well with a blue cheese. A crisp white goes with goat. A cider goes with a firm cheese. Ask the staff for a pairing, as they usually have a view.

Dietary and allergy notes

Cheese contains dairy and some boards include nuts, wheat crackers and honey. If you have an allergy or follow a vegetarian or halal diet, tell the staff when you order. If you are pregnant, ask about unpasteurised and mould-ripened cheeses.

Buying cheese to take home

Delis and market stalls often let you taste before you buy. Ask for a small piece of several and take the ones you liked. They will cut to order and wrap it for you.

Building a board at home

If you are making a board for friends, choose three to five cheeses with different textures and strengths, take them out of the fridge an hour before serving and cut them just before. Put out bread or plain crackers, something sweet such as fruit or chutney and something crisp such as celery or nuts. Label the cheeses if you can. Guests like to know what they are eating, and you will remember what worked.

Cheese and dietary needs

If anyone at the table is pregnant, ask about pasteurisation before they eat. If anyone avoids dairy, offer plenty of other things on the board, because a cheese board can leave them with only the crackers. Nuts need to be flagged, and so does any cheese made with an animal rennet if a guest is vegetarian.

Finding a good board on Mosey

Look at the photographs. A well-made board shows variety, and the dishes look inviting. Check recent ratings for mentions of cheese. Our guide to food in Ireland by county can help you plan.