Which Spreadable Cheese is Best for My Party?

Hosting a party soon? Whether it’s a casual get-together with friends or a more formal affair with colleagues, everyone will notice a great spread. Here at Cypress Grove, we wholeheartedly believe that spreadable cheese is essential to any great spread of food.

Charcuterie boards, smorgasbords, hors d’oeuvres, and appetizers–no matter what you call them–they all make good use of a spreadable cheese. This is one addition that can go with virtually anything munchy, is easy to serve on a board or in a bowl, and has wide appeal among guests.

If you’re new to using spreadable goat cheese, here’s a guide on how to incorporate spreadable cheese into almost any spread. We particularly favor goat cheese not just because we like its diverse flavors, but also because goat milk can make cheeses that are more naturally creamy than what some cow and sheep milk cheeses are like.

Using a Trio of Cheeses

When someone asks, “What’s the best spreadable cheese for my party?” Our answer is often a trio of gourmet cheeses. There’s not one best trio, but selecting three different ones will allow guests to explore flavor combinations.

Spreadable goat cheeses all have some similarities, but there can also be great diversity among their flavors. A trio of them will allow you to:

• Showcase the similarities and differences between various cheeses
• Ensure there are multiple options for guests with different preferences
• Give guests plenty of opportunity to try different cheese pairings with other foods

Of course, you can select five or seven if you have a large party. A trio is sufficient to give your guests options, though, and to accomplish everything mentioned above. Only consider more if you have a lot of guests — or if you want a cheese to personally snack on while prepping the hors d’oeuvres.

Selecting 3 Goat Cheeses for Your Party

The trio will work best if it’s made up of quite different cheeses. Three highly similar cheeses won’t offer as much opportunity to experiment with different combinations, nor will they necessarily appeal to guests who might have different preferences. A diverse triplet will best serve your guess.

To that end, there are three main categories of cheese. It’s suggested that you select one from each category.

Fresh Goat Cheeses

Fresh goat cheeses are what most people first picture when they think of goat cheese. These options have a clean flavor and can be somewhat sweet or savory. They’re almost always bright and have a slightly tangy flavor that’s unique to goat milk.

The clean and bright flavor of fresh goat cheese goes well with a wide variety of things. Depending on which you choose, you might serve it alongside:

• Nuts (shelled pistachios, almonds or walnuts)
• Fruits (orange marmalade, fresh peach slices, lemon-honey spread)
• Herbs (herb-flavored crackers, herb-crusted cheese, fresh sprigs of herbs)
• Spicy (hot pepper relish, pepper flakes)
• Meats (black-pepper salami, prosciutto)

It’s strongly recommended that you have crackers, crostinis, or something similar right near the cheese. These are fairly spreadable cheeses.

At Cypress Grove, we have a few fresh cheeses to highlight:

• Ms. Natural: Our standard fresh cheese designed to be the cleanest and brightest offering. Goes well with almost everything but generally does want a pairing.
• Meyer Lemon and Honey Goat Cheese: Our fresh cheese flavored with both honey and meyer lemon. The sweet-citrus combination perfectly highlights the cheese’s tanginess, while mellowing it with some honey. Goes well with nuts, fruits and herbs, or it could stand on its own.
• Herbs de Humboldt: Regional herbs blended right into the cheese. Get creative, pairing with orange marmalade, prosciutto, or fresh herb sprigs. You’ll look like a creative cooking genius.

Soft-Ripened Spreadable Cheeses

Soft-ripened goat cheeses are perhaps the most complex, and that alone makes them a great addition to your board. The textures include an outside rind, rich creamline and dense inner core. These are still quite spreadable, but you also can simply place them on top of a cracker if you prefer.

Flavors tend to be somewhat more complex too, with each texture bringing a subtly different taste. You’ll still notice the fresh tanginess of goat cheese, but also can get some rich and aromatic flavors from the rind and creamline. Look for earthiness and mushroom notes, complemented by any other additions.

There’s a wealth of soft-ripened cheeses to choose from. Just a couple to consider include:

• Humboldt Fog: A soft ripened cheese featuring a distinctive ribbon of vegetable ash, complemented with floral notes, herbaceous overtones, & a clean citrus finish. Pairs well with almost everything, but meats, fruits and nuts can be particularly good choices.
  • Looking for an exact weight or smaller version of Humboldt Fog? Fog Lights is your perfect go-to.
• Truffle Tremor: Brings full-on earthy flavor, and upscales any board with class. The mixed-in truffle flakes are pungent when eaten, but the cheese keeps them from being overpowering on the board or the plate. Pair with a dark beer or deep red wine — no other food needed.

Aged Goat Cheese

Aged goat cheese, admittedly, is fairly firm and not so spreadable. Alongside two spreadable cheeses, though, these offer very different texture and taste. Putting one on the board can truly round out your cheese selection. You might consider:

• Midnight Moon: A smooth and sweeter goat cheese, with hints of butter, nuts and caramel sweetness during the last of the bite. Hearty snacks like walnuts or fig jam go well.
• Goat Cheddar Cheese: Much less like traditional goat cheese, this cheddar has a unique texture and taste compared to cow-milk cheddars. It might be appreciated if you’re in cheese country, like Wisconsin or New York. Goes well with black pepper salami, nuts and maybe something spicy.

Create Your Perfect Spreadable Cheese Trio

Here at Cypress Grove, we have a variety of spreadable cheeses to make sure you have an excellent selection for guests. Choose some of the ones above, or select something else we have. You can never go wrong with a trio of goat cheeses on your board. Cypress Grove makes it easy for you, we offer a variety of bundles, check out our best selling trio today!