Got big plans for New Year’s Eve that involve staying in your house? Throw together a New Year’s Eve in cheeseboard fit for two people or a small gathering. The perfect balance of cheeses, meats, and munchies to get you to midnight.
What month is it? What day is it? We are still in this whole Christmas vacation thing, right? Anybody else as confused as I am? The time between Christmas and New Year’s Eve is basically like the longest Sunday ever.
The holiday hangover is slowly clearing. I finally put the dishes from Christmas dinner back where they belong. For two days, I have been saying I will find homes and new containers for all the new toys that came into our possession.
So, maybe, just maybe, since I keep talking about it, I will get it done by a week from now.
There are more pressing matters at hand, like New Year’s Eve. We will be staying in for the most part, maybe an early dinner with kids and then cheese and wine/beer-pa-looza post kid bedtime.
Yep, living it up, adult-style.
Today, I have tips for building the best New Year’s Eve in cheeseboard. First off, it’s all about balance. Find things you both agree on, like a dip or hummus and similar crackers. Pick meats you both like, because they can run a bit pricey.
Next, be sure to cater to things the other person specifically likes. I really love olives and pickles. Mike would rather eat a plain piece of lettuce (you guys know how much he hates lettuce) than eat an olive or pickle. Mike does love salty snacks like nuts and spicy peppers.
When it comes to picking your cheeses, choose 3-4 for a good variety. Ye olde wise Martha Stewart always says to pick something old or aged, something new to you to try, and something blue or funky.
First, I went with a standard blue cheese for the blue. Then a white stilton with apricot for the something new, and an aged gouda for the old aged choice. I tested them out on my family at Christmas and they were fans of all!
I really love Trader Joe’s cheese selection for the variety and the price point. You can pick out three fancy cheeses for like 10 bucks.
Now, when it comes to what drinks to serve, I have two suggestions. The first is champs, duh. Something with bubbles for the wine lovers for sure. Then for the beer drinkers, a Brut IPA from Stone Brewing called Enjoy By 01.01.19 is the perfect compliment to this cheeseboard.
I always take the dips out of the packaging. Put in a little effort, right? If you have a hummus, add a drizzle of olive oil to the top along with salt and either sumac or paprika to make it look homemade. If you picked a salsa or creamy dip, add some sort of greenery to the top like cilantro or parsley.
For the finishing touches, add in dried fruits, sprigs of rosemary, grapes and extra crackers to fill in the open spaces.
Prepare your cheeseboard ahead of time. Keep everything in it’s wrapping or covered in plastic wrap and refrigerate. When it’s time for the snacks, bust out this perfectly planed New Year’s Eve in cheeseboard.
Cheers to the new year!
