Overhead view of a cheese board with various types of artisanal cheeses, meats, and jelly and mustard spread.

New Year’s Eve Celebration Board: Ontario Cheese & Charcuterie

Name: New Year’s Eve Celebration Board: Ontario Cheese & Charcuterie
Ingredients: Smoked Gouda – Mountainoak Cheese; Celtic Blue Cheese – Glengarry Fine Cheese; 5 Brothers – Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese; Brie – Albert’s Leap/Quality Cheese Belle Marie Brie; Ontario Queso; Ontario duck breast; Ontario pepperoni; Ontario prosciutto; Assortment of crackers, pickles, Dijon mustard, toasted baguette slices

Afrim Pristine Jan 01 2021

Inspired

Serves 4-6

Everyone loves a good cheeseboard, they're versitile and the possibilities are endless. Maître Fromager Afrim Pristine has taken the time to put together a wonderful New Year's Eve Celebration board using local Ontario artisanal cheeses from dairy processors from across the province.

"The cheeses on this board are world class. They’re sourced from artisanal cheesemakers across Ontario. These are my recommendations, but feel free to use any Ontario blue, Gouda, Brie or Queso!" - Afrim Pristine

Prep 20 MIN

Ingredients

Smoked Gouda – Mountainoak Cheese Checkbox selected

Celtic Blue Cheese – Glengarry Fine Cheese Checkbox selected

5 Brothers – Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese Checkbox selected

Brie – Albert’s Leap/Quality Cheese Belle Marie Brie Checkbox selected

Ontario Queso Checkbox selected

Ontario duck breast Checkbox selected

Ontario pepperoni Checkbox selected

Ontario prosciutto Checkbox selected

Assortment of crackers, pickles, Dijon mustard, toasted baguette slices Checkbox selected

Tip

If you can’t find 5 Brothers, an aged Ontario Cheddar will do the trick!

Cheese & Charcuterie Board Styling Tips:

Cheese is best served at room temperature, so remove your cheeses from the fridge 30 minutes to an hour before serving.

Cheese was not intended to be served or enjoyed in uniform triangles, nor is it just a topping for crackers or bread. For harder cheeses, use your knife to pull off lovely chunks. Crumble blue cheese or feta into bite-sized pieces. Queso is great cut in ¼” slices. Variety is the soul of a great board!

Place any small dishes or bowls along your board or serving tray, then arrange your cheeses, meats and breads around them.

Tips

- If you’re serving a board as a dinner, plan to purchase about 5-6 oz of cheese and meat per person, along with small sides and garnishes.

- If you’re having trouble finding any of the recommended cheeses, any Ontario-made cheeses of the same variety are guaranteed to delight because they’re all made from high-quality Ontario milk!

Written By

Afrim Pristine

Maître Fromager

Afrim Pristine is Canada’s premier cheese expert and owner of the Cheese Boutique with over 23 years of experience in the art of cheese making. From studying with some of the world’s greatest cheesemakers as well as hands-on training from his father and some of the world’s most renowned dairy farmers, Afrim was honoured as one of the world’s youngest people, and only Canadian, to be awarded the title of Maître Fromager in 2013, by the Guilde Internationale des Fromagers in France. Afrim was also the youngest Canadian recipient of the Chevalier distinction from the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Taste Fromage de France in 2007 and was also named to the Top 30 Under 30 food industry list by the Ontario Hostelry Institute.

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