Our team of experts has been teaching virtual cheese tasting workshops featuring our favorite American artisan cheeses for almost a year. Now, we’re so excited to announce that we’re teaching our first-ever virtual cheese board building class on March 20! 

If you’ve always wondered how to make your cheese plates look like the gorgeous spreads you see on Instagram, this is the class for you. Your ticket includes an exclusive Zoom lesson with one of our experts, plus a trio of amazing cheeses from small-scale domestic creameries and a bevy of delicious accompaniments, from crispy crackers to fine chocolate—all shipped right to your door. It’s everything you need but the board!

What Will I Learn in a Cheese Board Building Class?

Want to create colorful, bountiful boards à la @thatcheeseplate? Do you love mini cheese boards for their cuteness and snackability? Perhaps you’re a fan of the clean, focused look of a minimalist cheese board—or maybe you just want to learn more about pairing and styling for your next no-cook, cheese-for-dinner night. 

Our cheese board class will give you the tools to tackle these styles of cheese and more! You’ll learn how to select the perfect cheese (or group of cheeses) and the principles of pairing so you can choose ideal accompaniments—whether you’re going all out at your favorite gourmet shop or simply raiding your pantry.

Then comes the fun part: You’ll learn how to put it all together, step by step, to make a cheese board that looks as good as it tastes. With your newfound skills, you’ll be ready to make a cheese board for any occasion, from Thanksgiving to Fourth of July.

Who Is Teaching a Virtual Cheese Board Class?

Our cheese board guru is Kerry Jerred, a cheesemonger and artisan cheese expert with nearly a decade of experience in the industry. She specializes in pairing and education around artisan and farmstead cheeses and builds truly stunning cheese boards. Kerry even hails from Wisconsin, the cheese capital of the U.S.!

What Kind of Cheese Board Can I Use?

Of course, we recommend keeping a dedicated wooden cheese board in your home—but you can use just about any serving surface, from a standard plate to a vintage server to a silver platter. We even love building cheese boards right on the shelves of the Cheese Grotto! 

Need to gather some cheese gear (or just add to your collection)? Not to worry—we have you covered with beautiful handmade slate and bamboo cheese boards, servers, and knives!

Photo by Grace Wilkey

What Are the Best Cheeses to Use on a Cheese Board?

We’ve made choosing cheese easy with a trio of contrasting varieties with different textures and flavor profiles, curated for you from American artisan makers. For the class, you’ll receive a selection of seasonal cheeses at their peak: a buttery, mushroomy bloomy rind; a nutty, natural-rind raw milk wedge; and a hunk of long-aged clothbound Cheddar, with notes ranging from briny olive to tropical pineapple.

Photo by Grace Wilkey

What Are the Best Accompaniments to Use on a Cheese Board?

Here’s where our cheese board building class really gets creative! You get to play with all of the fantastic accompaniments in our Artisan Cheese Tasting Box. 

Your class ticket includes featherlight crackers, richly spiced tomato and white sultana chutney, crisp heirloom almonds, briny Spanish olives, umami-packed heritage country ham, star thistle honey infused with earthy black truffle, and creamy dark chocolate. 

During the class, Kerry will teach you the principles of cheese pairing—but the real fun is digging into your board and experimenting! Because flavor is experiential, you’ll learn so much more once you start playing around with different profiles and let your taste buds guide you.

Photo by Grace Wilkey

How Do I Sign Up for the Virtual Cheese Board Building Class?

Get your tickets for our virtual cheese board class on Sunday, March 20 at 4 p.m. Eastern. Please note that tickets must be purchased by Monday, March 15 so we can ship your goodies to you in time for the class. 

What do you hope to learn in our virtual cheese board class? Let us know—and don’t forget to tag @cheesegrotto on social media when you post those beautiful boards!